Don't be fooled by the promos; Kumar is very clear that this isn't just another gags-and-backslapping film. "We've already done that, haven't we? We made people laugh their heads off with Mujhse Shaadi Karogi," he says. Also, Salman and Akshay are two heroes who really don't need to prove their comedic pedigree anymore. "Exactly. And while MSK made you laugh, this one will make you cry."
"It's a film with a message and a lot of soul. When I say it'll make you cry, I mean it's a powerful movie with genuine emotion. It touches you," says Akshay. "Of course, there is some humour. But this isn't comedy in the sense that it's designed as a joke; this is very realistic. In fact, the movie is very realistic; these things actually happen in life.
"On a very basic level," Kumar summarises, "This film is about a geek versus a dude, with the two having fallen in love with the same girl. I haven't seen characterisation like this. Both characters are very well-written." Contrary to type, he plays the geek in Jaan-E-Mann. "I had to break out of the box," he explains. "The tag of good-looking-but-can't-act is dangerous. I had to come out of the shell and Jaan-E-Mann helped me do that."
Don't miss: Don v/s Jaan-E-Mann this Diwali/Eid
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