MUMBAI: Bollywood filmmaker Raj Kumar Santoshi’s career is back on an even keel, thanks to the Shahid Kapoor-Ileana d’Cruz starrer ‘Phata Poster Nikla Hero’ (PPNH) which he is currently shooting in Mumbai.

Santoshi confesses to having a ball shooting with Shahid and Ileana. Santoshi thwarts all talk of ‘Phata Poster Nikla Hero’ (PPNH) being a sequel to his 2009 rom-com ‘Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani’.

“This is in no way related to my earlier film. PPNH is a far more emotional film. I’d say the comic and serious content are equally balanced.”

Shahid, we are told, is hands-on in the project. “He doesn’t only come on the sets, do his job professionally and go away. He is there constantly adding to the drama and the comedy. This is the first time I’m working with Shahid. I will work with him again very shortly. As for Ileana, she is a revelation. Such a focused and generous artiste. All my three main actors Shahid, Ileana  and Padmini Kolhapure are new to my cinema. But I feel as though I’ve worked with them many times.”

The prolific director who has not directed a film for three years, has also revived his most ambitious project ‘Power’ which was shelved in 2011.

The slick actioner featuring Amitabh Bachchan, Anil Kapoor, Ajay Devgn and Sanjay Dutt was slated to be the biggest project of the year 2011. While Anil Kapoor had promised to bring the action directors of his serial 24 to do his stunts in ‘Power’, the Big B was all set to do his own stunts in the film.

All in good time, as they say. The ambitious actioner which was aborted due to a steep budget, is back on the track.

Santoshi will begin shooting ‘Power’ as soon as he’s done with PPNH.

Confirming these developments  the director says, “Yes, my producer Feroze Nadiadwala and I are reviving that project. The practical problems which I don’t want to go into, are sorted. As soon as I am done with the current project we will start work on  that film. ‘Power’ would be my biggest film ever.”