Mahesh Manjrekar: On the warpath

Bharati Dubey

Maverick director Mahesh Manjrekar now plans to face the camera in debutant director Sanjay Jha's film. The mahurat of Pran Jaaye Par Chawl Naa Jaaye was held recently at Kamalistan Studios, Mumbai.

At the moment, he is wearing a blue Pathani suit and a red tilak, Manjrekar chats with his favourite actress Tabu. His getup looks suspiciously like Sanjay Dutt's in Vaastav.

Jha is ready for his first shot. The actor-director gets into a blue Chevrolet with four chamchas [henchmen]. He then gets out the car and, hands in pocket, walks towards the main entrance of chawl set up. At the staircase of the chawl, he pulls two hand-grenades out of his pockets, ignites them in front of the residents, sending them into panic.

Incidentally, Jha assisted Sanjay Leela Bhansali in Khamoshi [Nana Patekar, Seema Biswas, Manisha Koirala], and Vidhu Vinod Chopra in Mission Kashmir [Sanjay Dutt, Hrithik Roshan, Preity Zinta]. Jha is also slated to direct Manjrekar's Aai, put on hold for the moment.

Pran Jaaye Par Chawl Naa Jaaye deals with rent problems and the chawl culture in Mumbai [Yeh Teraa Ghar Yeh Meraa Ghar, anyone?].

The film also stars Tabu, Mahima Chaudhry, Namrata Shirodkar, Shweta Menon and Diya Mirza. Says Namrata, "The film is not about one hero and heroine. It is about characters and I play one of them in the film."

"This film has personal significance," Diya says, excitedly. "My character is not a beautiful girl. I stare at guys, instead of the other way round. I identify with this character --- my mother wasn't considered beautiful, with her dark complexion. She would tell people, my daughter will be so beautiful that she will make heads turn. That's why it is special."

Manjrekar terms the film a black comedy. "Sanjay [Jha] asked me to act, else I am happy directing films," he says. "The concept is mine but I prefer him directing the film. I'm too busy with my other projects."

For Jha, the film is 'fearless cinema'. "I'm shooting the film on the sets of another (Pratibimb). I have taken actresses who were ready to work and give me time. The film will be shot in 27 days."