MUMBAI: 2 make or not 2 make, that’s no longer the question. Director Priyadarshan, who had vowed not to make any more slapstick comedies – his logic being, “If everyone else is making them why should I?” – is being forced to follow the farcical route once again.
Apparently Priyan’s resolve to steer clear of slapstick has gone for a toss after the whopping success of Rohit Shetty’s Golmaal. Now the director’s two favourite actors Ajay Devgn and Akshay Kumar want to know why they should team up with Priyan for serious films when comedies, which are Priyan’s forte, are rocking the box office.
Hence the director is all set to get into the sequel bazaar.
Sequels to Priyan’s three very successful comedies Garam Masala (with Akshay Kumar and John Abraham), Bhool Bhulaiya (Akshay Kumar and Vidya Balan) and Malaamal Weekly (Om Puri, Ritesh Deshmukh, etc) are being planned full-speed ahead. In fact Malaamal Weekly 2 was shelved but has now been revived, thanks to the success of comedy films.
While Devgn’s serious Aakrosh directed by Priyadarshan bombed miserably, the comedy Golmaal Returns has been a resounding success.
So Devgn’s logical argument to Priyan was, why should he do an Aakrosh with Priyan when comedy is the director’s forte? Akshay, too with whom Priyadarshan did the thanda topical Khatta Meetha, feels Priyan works better in the comic De Dana Dan space.
Priyan admits he’s being persuaded to revert to comedy after vowing not to.
The director tells Businessofcinema.com, “Yes, I’ve been persuaded to return to comedy. You tell me, what do I do with three and four star ratings for a film like Aakrosh when audiences want to just have a good laugh? After Golmaal Returns I’m now in the process of finalizing Garam Masala 2, Bhool Bhulaiya 2 and Malaamal Weekly 2. Which of the three I’ll do first, I’ll know shortly.”
