Saif Ali Khan flew into London earlier this week to promote his latest production, Go Goa Gone, a zombie comedy.
Directed by Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK, Go Goa Gone is produced by Saif Ali Khan and Dinesh Vijan under their banner Illuminati Films along with Sunil Lulla of Eros International. The film stars producer Saif Ali Khan along with Kunal Khemu , Vir Das, Anand Tiwari and Puja Gupta.
The Cocktail actor sat down with Bollywood reporter Sunny Malik and spoke about the film and his forthcoming projects…
It has been about a year since Agent Vinod released and you have been in London for every film that has released since then. Do you promote your films in the UK because you want overseas Box Office success?
London is like a second home and it’s a good chance to do some work as well when I am here. If someone would say go to Moscow, I’d do that as well, but this is a mainstream market.
Do you keep track of figures and of how well your films are doing overseas?
A little bit. I get a rough idea. It’s certainly worthwhile to do some promotions. There is a lot of press that we need to talk to and a large section of audiences that would be interested in what we have to say. It’s definitely important.
How did Go Goa Gone come about?
Kunal Khemu bought me the script and said that it’s a really funny idea. I sort of cleared the way and let them make the film they wanted to make.
Was the title always Go Goa Gone?
It was always Go Goa Gone. I actually wanted to change the title. I wanted to have a funny title, maybe a Hindi title. I believe, ‘Full Moon Junoon’ was one idea but was shot down pretty early on. Now, it’s a great title. The way it is presented on screen is nicely done. The film is in three sections, when they go, then they have gone and then they are completely gone.
What were you thinking as a producer when the film came to you?
I always wanted to do something different and new in production. I did not just want to make regular films that we make. That was maybe the influence behind it. But I do strongly remember that no one wanted to make this film at all. There were many times when Dinesh told me ‘Are you making this film for Kunal? Why don’t you just give him the money? Why do you have to make a movie?’ (Laughs) [Kunal is in a relationship with Saif Ali Khan’s younger sister Soha Ali Khan] It is really funny. But you know, there are a lot of films that start of this way. At least, everyone got behind it. I think, they backed the film because I was asking them to do so. I am happy that it worked out. Maybe next time I’ll say something they won’t run away (laughs). It’s always a risk.
How did you decide on casting Vir Das? He was also a part of your first production, Love Aaj Kal.
I think he had one line in Love Aaj Kal, which is probably his shortest role till date. It was probably to make up for that (laughs). I think, Mahesh Bhatt once said, when you cast two guys, they should have different body types e.g. Akshay Kumar and me. Kunal and Vir are of the same height and I was resisting on casting them together. But he is such a good actor that we just went it with.
Vir plays the character of Luv, who takes himself very seriously. The world he lives in is full of bitches. He is a nice guy, so his girlfriend is a tart (laughs). That’s how it is. Kunal plays the character of Hardik and the Americans in Goa have a nice time pronouncing his name. He is the womaniser in the film. They play their roles so well; it’s almost like their best work. This is also the first time I have mentioned them in an interview (laughs). I am not used to do doing that. I need to tell them that I mentioned them.
Were you worried that you were limiting the audience by using swearwords in the film and showing them in the trailer?
See, it is a little limiting but the odd swearword is funny. Where you just go on and on with them, is not something we want to do. I remember Nagesh Kukunoor’s first film, Hyderabad Blues, had some little bad language halfway through the film. It’s just really funny. I have only really used swearwords in Omkara and here in Go Goa Gone.
What can we expect next from your production house Illuminati Films?
I am making a film with my Go Goa Gone directors which is set in the US. It’s about a writer who hasn’t written a book in a long time and gets roped into writing a Bollywood screenplay for a really crap actor (laughs). The guy is really filmi who does botox and all that. It’s a comedy and I hope that will be fun.
Which other films are you currently working on?
I am working on Bullet Raja with Sonkashi Sinha. Then there is Sajid Khan’s film which will start later this year.
Why should audiences in the UK go and watch Go Goa Gone?
If you like watching films, then it’s a nicely made film. You don’t have to understand or like zombie movies to like the film. The film is a comedy. It’s good that there are zombies because they are dumb. They can be shot in the stomach and nothing happens to them, which is horrific but can be funny.
Go Goa Gone (15) opens in UK cinemas this Friday, 10th May 2013.
Only two weeks after its theatrical release, India’s first zom-com Go Goa Gone has set foot online on Eros Now! Fans can now watch laugh riot online anytime, anywhere!!
With just 10 days for the release, Go Goa Gone has become the one of the most talked about movies of the year.
Go Goa Gone is an unusual mixture of hilarious comedy, camaraderie, slick action and zombies. Raj says, “A zombie film in Hindi was unheard of until then.” DK adds, “But we were sure that this is the film we would like to make after Shor In The City.”
