"There
are
only
three
protagonists
in
my
film
played
by
Imran
Khan,
Sonam
Kapoor
and
Sammir
Dattani.
The
film
is
about
their
relationship
with
one
another
and
how
it
changes
in
the
course
of
the
narration."
That's
how
the
far-from-nervous
director
Punit
Malhotra
describes
the
character-profile
of
his
debut
film
I
Hate
Luv
Storys.
One
hopes
Punit
is
a
better
director
than
a
speller.
God
and
Karan
Johar
(in
that
order)
know
that
Manish
Malhotra"s
nephew
Punit
Malhotra
came
into
Bollywood
to
be
a
leading
man.
He,
instead
ended
up
as
an
apprentice
in
Karan
Johar"s
production
house
to
finally
climb
his
way
into
independent
direction
with
I
Hate
Luv
Storys
(IHLS).
Apparently
Karan
had
assured
Punit
that
his
starry
dreams
would
one
day
be
realized.
And
everyone
knows
Karan
always
lives
up
to
his
promises.
Punit
at
the
moment
prefers
to
dodge
questions
on
his
starry
aspirations,
although
he
does
admit
that
he
entered
the
movie
industry
to
be
a
leading
man.
“I
thought
being
Manish
Malhotra"s
nephew
would
make
thing
easier
for
me.
But
it
did
not.
The
kind
of
acting
offers
I
got
didn"t
excite
me.
So
I
decided
to
assist
Karan.
I"ve
been
with
him
from
the
time
he
made
Kabhi
Khushi
Kabhie
Gham.
So
you
see
I
can"t
bring
myself
to
hate
love
stories
even
if
I
tried."
When
Karan
suggested
that
Punit
write
a
script
Punit
instinctively
turned
to
the
world
he
grew
up
in.
Situated
in
the
movie
industry
IHLS
takes
tongue-in-cheek
potshots
at
the
romantic
cinema
of
Yash
Chopra,
Aditya
Chopra,
Karan
Johar
and
even
Sanjay
Leela
Bhansali.
Naturally
Punit
is
concerned
about
how
the
industry
bigwigs
would
react
to
the
tongue-in-cheek
spoofing
of
these
romantic
greats.
Sighs
Punit,
“I
respect
all
the
names
you"ve
mentioned.
I"ve
grown
up
watching
their
films.
I
can"t
say
I"m
a
die-hard
romantic
like
my
producer
Karan
Johar.
Or
that
I
believe
in
love
at
first
sight
.Until
it
happens
to
me
how
can
I
tell?
But
I
am
not
cynical
about
love
like
my
hero
Imran
Khan
in
IHLS.
Though
the
film
begins
by
using
these
reference
points
cynically
my
hero
and
the
film
comes
around
to
believing
in
true
love.
I
hope
these
near-legendary
filmmakers
would
take
the
references
to
their
cinema
in
the
right
spirit."
Easier
said
than
done!
Filmmakers
are
already
making
not-so-discreet
inquiries
about
what
Punit
is
up
to.
Understandably
the
debutant
is
shaken
but
not
stirred.
“Once
the
film
releases
I"m
sure
everyone
will
understand
how
much
I
believe
in
the
concept
of
true
love.
Sonam
Kapoor
and
Sammir
Dattani"s
characters
who
are
in
love
with
one
another
have
been
named
Raj
and
Simran
after
Shahrukh
and
Kajol
in
Dilwale
Dulhaniya
Le
Jayenge.
They
are
shown
to
be
so
much
in
love
that
it
seems
ridiculous
to
someone
who
hasn"t
experienced
such
passion.When
Imran"s
character
Jay
enters
this
world
he"s
quite
amused
and
cynical.
But
he
comes
around.Sammir
Dattani"s
character
is
a
complete
romantic
at
heart.
I
do
believe
in
true
love,
and
I
hope
that
comes
across."
For
his
next
film
Punit
has
apparently
decided
to
cast
Imran
and
Sonam
besides
himself.
“It"s
too
early
to
comment
on
my
next.
But
I
will
say
one
thing.
After
a
huge
romantic
hit
like
You"ve
Got
Mail,
Meg
Ryan
and
Tom
Hanks
came
together
again
for
Sleepless
In
Seattle.
That
too
was
a
big
success.
Throughout
the
making
of
my
film
Karan,
Imran
and
Sonam
have
been
pillars
of
strength.
Imran"s
last
three
films
have
not
clicked.
And
Sonam
has
had
no
hits
so
far.
So
in
a
way
all
three
of
us
were
like
newcomers
starting
out
together."