Thought Salman Would Be Sceptical To Back 'Notebook' As It's Unconventional: Director Nitin Kakkar
After bagging several accolades and a national award for his debut Filmistaan, director Nitin Kakkar is ready with his next Notebook, a love story set in Kashmir.
After
bagging
several
accolades
and
a
national
award
for
his
debut
Filmistaan,
director
Nitin
Kakkar
is
ready
with
his
next
Notebook,
a
love
story
set
in
Kashmir,
which
he
says
is
not
a
"run-of-the-mill" romantic
saga.
Nitin
says
even
though
it
is
a
love
story,
it
doesn't
follow
the
cliche
Romeo-Juliet
template
"There
is
nothing
cliched
about
'Notebook'.
As
a
director
I
was
able
to
go
beyond
cliches.
There
is
a
conflict
in
the
film
but
of
a
different
type.
It
is
not
run-of-the-mill
story.
It
is
not
in
the
classic
romeo-juliet
format.
"I
thought
Salman
bhai
(Salman
Khan)
might
be
sceptical
because
it
is
not
conventional.
The
film
has
a
world
of
its
own,
which
is
cinematic
and
real," Nitin
told
PTI.
One
of
the
producers
of
the
film,
Ashwin
Varde
of
Cine1
Studios,
discussed
the
story
with
Nitin,
who
felt
this
project
would
be
an
apt
vehicle
to
launch
Salman's
childhood
friend's
son
Zaheer
Iqbal.
The
film
also
marks
the
debut
of
Pratunan,
daughter
of
actor
Mohnish
Bahl
and
granddaughter
of
yesteryear
actor
Nutan.
"Everybody
would
be
looking
forward
to
her
performance.
She
is
an
amazing
performer,
she
has
shown
maturity
and
I
think
she
is
here
to
stay.
Zaheer
is
an
honest
and
sensible
actor.
"They
both
are
brave
to
chose
a
film
like
'Notebook'
because
it
is
not
a
conventional
film,
they
are
playing
characters
and
not
a
hero
and
heroine," Nitin
says.
According
to
Nitin,
the
film
required
a
picturesque
cinematic
backdrop
and
there
is
no
better
place
than
Kashmir.
"We
shot
in
Kashmir
because
it
is
an
integral
part
of
the
story.
Kashmir
is
not
just
about
terrorism
and
it
does
affect
people's
life.
I
felt
it
would
be
great
to
show
Kashmir
where
there
is
fun
and
life
is
beautiful.
"I
wanted
to
look
at
Kashmir
in
a
different
sense,
in
a
real
perspective
of
the
daily
mundane
life
also.
People
have
been
warm
and
loving
towards
us.
Now
I
want
to
shoot
every
film
there,
I
want
more
of
it."
The
entire
film
begins
and
ends
in
Kashmir
and
the
makers
shot
for
43
days
in
the
valley.
Notebook
hits
cinemas
on
March
29.