Director
Abhinay
Deo
has
fond
memories
of
working
on
his
debut
film
Delhi
Belly
and
remembers
how
actor
Ranbir
Kapoor
was
a
strong
contender
for
the
lead
role
that
was
eventually
played
by
Imran
Khan
in
the
movie,
which
completed
a
decade
on
Thursday
(July
1,
2021).
Released
on
July
1,
2011,
Delhi
Belly
featured
Imran
Khan,
Vir
Das
and
Kunaal
Roy
Kapur
as
three
friends
who
become
the
target
of
a
gangster
after
they
misplace
his
diamonds.
Backed
by
Aamir
Khan,
the
film
became
an
instant
hit
with
its
irreverent
and
adult
humour,
unabashed
profanity,
and
a
catchy
soundtrack
by
Ram
Sampath.
Deo
said
when
he
recently
saw
the
film,
he
was
surprised
how
Delhi
Belly
still
held
his
attention.
"My
son
was
watching
it
about
six
months
ago.
I
chanced
upon
it
and
sat
with
him.
I
enjoyed
the
film
for
the
first
time,
possibly
nine
years
after
its
release!
I
still
ended
up
seeing
all
the
flaws
but
what
a
ride.
It
was
my
first
film.
I
am
emotionally
attached
to
it," the
director
told
PTI
in
an
interview.
While
the
film
was
a
turning
point
for
Imran
Khan,
who
was
going
through
a
poor
phase
at
the
box
office
after
his
blockbuster
debut
Jaane
Tu
Ya
Jaane
Na
(2008),
Deo
said
Kapoor's
name
had
also
come
up
in
the
discussion
as
the
potential
lead.
"Ranbir
was
one
of
the
people
we
had
spoken
to
at
that
stage.
He
had
heard
the
script.
In
the
early
stages,
we
were
looking
at
various
people
and
genuinely
felt
Ranbir
was
a
very
strong
contender
for
the
film.
But
that
didn't
work
out
for
various
reasons," Deo
said.
The
director
said
the
film
was
made
and
cast
in
an
extremely
systematic
manner,
with
auditions
held
for
every
part.
Since
one
of
the
producers
of
the
film,
Jim
Furgele
and
its
writer
Akshat
Verma
were
based
out
of
Los
Angeles,
the
production
followed
the
filmmaking
process
of
the
US,
he
said.
Kapoor,
however,
never
reached
the
audition
stage.
The
story
of
how
Delhi
Belly
came
to
life
from
a
script
dates
back
to
2008
when
Aamir
Khan
and
his
filmmaker
wife
Kiran
Rao
were
getting
ready
to
leave
for
an
event.
Rao,
while
waiting
for
Aamir
Khan,
picked
up
the
first
script
lying
on
top
of
the
pile
as
it
had
come
in
the
same
day.
"She
read
the
name,
'Delhi
Belly'
and
thought
it
was
interesting.
She
started
reading
it
and
couldn't
stop
laughing.
Aamir
asked
her
what
she
was
laughing
about.
Then
he
joined
her
and
ultimately
they
didn't
go
to
the
event
because
they
continued
reading
the
script.
The
same
night,
around
1
am,
they
called
the
writers," Deo
said.
The
director's
journey
with
Delhi
Belly
began
the
same
year,
when
both,
Aamir
Khan
and
Verma
reached
out
to
him
individually.
Deo
said
he
was
surprised
why
they
were
suddenly
interested
in
an
ad
filmmaker
to
direct
a
film.
At
that
stage,
he
was
one
of
the
directors
in
consideration.
"But
once
we
met
and
discussed,
it
was
fine.
Except,
I
was
committed
to
a
film
with
Excel
Entertainment
at
that
point.
I
was
signed
by
them
and
they
had
our
dates
locked.
I
could
not
take
on
the
project
and
said
no,"
Deo
said.
The
director
was
signed
on
to
helm
Excel
Entertainment's
Game
,
which
also
released
in
2011.
Because
of
his
unavailability,
the
Delhi
Belly
team
went
with
the
second
person
they
had
in
mind,
a
Swedish
director.
But
as
luck
would
have
it,
six-eight
months
later,
his
film
with
Excel
also
shifted.
"Then
Aamir
called
me
again
when
he
found
out
my
dates
had
shifted.
Something
had
not
gone
right
with
the
other
director.
Aamir
asked
if
I
was
up
for
it.
I
didn't
want
to
let
go
of
the
opportunity
and
immediately
said
yes,"
the
filmmaker
recalled.
When
the
discussions
resumed
with
Deo,
he
recalled
Aamir
Khan
being
"extremely
excited" about
the
project.
There
were,
however,
apprehensions
given
the
film's
language
and
humour.
"The
first
discussion
that
happened
with
Aamir,
when
we
all
sat
together,
was
'Are
you
sure
this
film
will
work
in
India?'
I
said
this
would
set
a
mark.
Aamir
started
laughing
and
told
me
'it's
a
fun
film'.
But
I
told
it
was
an
irreverent
and
non-hypocritical
film,
which
talked
about
the
language
of
the
youth.
There
was
no
message."
Delhi
Belly
also
benefited
from
a
solid
supporting
cast,
led
by
Vijay
Raaz,
Poorna
Jagannathan
and
Danish
star
Kim
Bodnia,
best
known
for
the
hit
British
spy
thriller
series
Killing
Eve.
Deo
said
he
was
a
fan
of
Bodnia,
even
before
he
became
a
globally
known
face
with
the
Phoebe
Waller-Bridge
created
show.
"He
is
an
absolutely
amazing
actor.
He's
partly
Russian
and
partly
from
Denmark.
Akshat
and
I
wanted
someone
who
looks
Russian,
is
a
good
actor,
and
ready
to
be
a
part
of
a
small
film.
We
reached
out
to
a
few
but
Kim
was
so
enthralled
with
the
idea
of
coming
to
India
and
doing
the
part."
Delhi
Belly
was
shot
in
2009
and
the
team
was
ready
with
it
by
2010.
The
movie
had
to
wait
for
at
least
nine
months
to
get
a
theatrical
release
as
Aamir
Khan
wanted
to
first
release
his
other
productions,
Peepli
Live
(2010)
and
Dhobi
Ghat
(2011).
But
before
they
could
have
a
release,
the
makers
had
to
prepare
for
a
battle
with
the
Central
Board
of
Film
Certification
(CBFC),
which
was
a
"crazy
phase"
for
them.
Deo
said.
"We
were
apprehensive,
felt
we
would
get
banned
and
get
a
lot
of
flack.
At
that
point
of
time,
the
head
of
CBFC
was
Pankaja
Thakur,
who
was
extremely
progressive."
Deo
said
both
he
and
Aamir
Khan
decided
to
directly
apply
for
an
'Adult'
certificate
to
avoid
any
hassle.
"We
were
clear
that
this
kind
of
film
should
not
be
for
anybody
less
than
18.
That's
the
reason
I
feel
the
process
became
simpler.
There
were
no
cuts,
no
alterations.
Even
the
CBFC
members
were
laughing
during
the
screening."