35 crores on a two-minute narration!

By: Sajid Nadiadwala, IndiaFM
Monday, September 11, 2006
Farah is like my sister and when she gave me a two-minute narration of a story idea Shirish had (for Jaan-e-Mann), I instantly said, "I will make it". I am very selective about scripts and it usually takes me a couple of years to finalise a film. And here I was, committing 35 crores on a two-minute narration! But then as I said I am very family oriented and I was confident that Shirish would pull off the multiple roles of writer/director/editor, although this was his first film as a writer/director.

Of course, the entire writing process took a year. There was a lot of brainstorming, debate and arguments, but in the end both Shirish and I were satisfied with the end result.

The New York schedule went off smoothly. Although we landed there when the UN's 60th birthday celebrations were underway with heads of government from all over the world in attendance. So the security was really tight. But we had no problems shooting in such public places as Times Square and the Bronx.

As for casting, both Akshay Kumar and Salman Khan, immediately agreed to do the film; and hadn't even read the script till the first day of shooting! My friendship with Akshay goes back 28 years, while Salman and I enjoy an extremely cordial relationship - both personal and professional. Preity too is an old friend having acted earlier in my Har Dil Jo Pyaar Karega.

Since this was a musical, the music and choreography had to be in safe hands. Anu, having given music for two of my biggest musical blockbusters, Judwaa and Har Dil Jo Pyaar Karega was the obvious choice for Jaan-e-Mann. As for Farah Khan, I call her the Sachin Tendulkar of choreography! And with both her husband and brother involved in this film, she's given better than her best.

In this, the 51st year of my production house, my only competition is with myself - to give better, bigger and best films.

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