‘Hum Tum Shabana’ is a class apart: Minissha

Title roles vs title songs
I haven’t done any title roles but I’ve been fortunate enough to get author backed roles in movies like ‘Yahaan’ — the movie was originally going to be titled Ada,then there’s ‘Well Done Abba’,’Anamika’ and now in ‘Hum Tum Shabana’. I’ve had title songs though (smiles) like ‘Naam Ada Likhna’,’Soniya’ from ‘Kidnap’,’Jogi Maahi’ from ‘Bachna Ae Haseeno’ and here ‘Hey Na Na Na Shabana’ from ‘Hum Tum Shabana’.

Men are better at comedy
Comedy is a very male oriented space. I just lucked out by getting a movie where the female has a prominent presence,the title is also ‘Hum Tum Shabana’ and every action happens because of her,for her or in some relation to her. I was very lucky to this role. I do plan to do other comedies and I do know that in those movies,I will have lesser role as a female compared to all the male actors that I’m ready to accept.

The madness in ‘Hum Tum Shabana’ happens because of men. You can’t be doing madness being a heroine,and rightfully so. I don’t think it looks good even. The men can do crazy stuff. Actually they are allowed to do crazy stuff (laughs). Men are more capable of getting the laughs.

Producer’s product
Our producers and my director were very clear about the kind of look they wanted for the film. They’ve been very hands on with the creatives of the posters and the trailers and the songs. This film has a lot of contribution from the producer’s side as far as packaging of the film is concerned.

Turn around,not undying love
This is the first movie that I’ve done with Tusshar and Shreyas. They both are fabulous. They both come from the ‘Golmaal’ team. They both play mid management executives who are trying to play a game of one-upmanship till Shabana walks in their life and things take a bizarre turn. The film is about a turn around. It’s not about undying love where the boys will do anything for her. If it’s not convenient for them then they’ll drop her anytime like a hot potato.

Song preferences
I never expected my song ‘Hey Na Na Na Shabana’ to get such a fabulous response. I thought it was a very soft sweet melody that was very situational in the film. I thought that ‘Music Bandh Na Karo’,’Kesariya’ and ‘Hey Mr DJ’ would be the chartbusting numbers. I am shocked that a sweet melody is something that is liked on par with ‘Music Bandh Na Karo’. The latter is so obviously the first choice to be liked by all but I guess people like Shabana more (laughs).

In-jokes
Satish Kaushik plays my ‘chacha’ in the film. He is a master of the comic genre. He is the master in entertainment. A lot of the jokes of Satishji and Sanjay Mishraji were written by themselves on their comic timings,making puns from earlier films and taking jokes from other films,etc. For that you require a lot of experience in cinema,a lot of knowledge and love for cinema and of course,a wild sense of humour. Both are crazy in the film.

Women centric roles?
I am not really looking at doing women centric roles. You give a heart and soul into a role of a lifetime but what’s the point in doing such films where the reach is limited? I have gone through some heart breaking experiences like that but I don’t have the strength to do them as of now.

Producer ambitions
I don’t think I am ready to turn producer right now because I want to make my mark in my chosen profession of acting. I think I need to do a lot more before I even think of branching out doing anything else. Let me feel satisfied. I am not right now.

Bad sense of humour
I have a very bad sense of humour. More often than not,I try and not to incorporate my experiences because it just back fires. I’ve been advised by people not to try because of my bad humour and bad sense of what can be funny. I’ve tried it before but I’ve stopped it now in lieu of public welfare (laughs).

‘Mass’ style laugh riot
‘Hum Tum Shabana’ is a very different comedy Sagar Ballary has made compared to that of his first film ‘Bheja Fry’. ‘Bheja Fry’ was more subtle and meant for the classes. ‘Hum Tum Shabana’ is a comedy for the classes too but only in the first half. The second half is a laugh riot mass style.

No competition
‘Hum Tum Shabana’ isn’t a film that’s preaching to the society or has any lessons to deliver. It’s a light hearted entertainer which is what we are bringing to you. We’ve tried our best to make this a film that would be very worthy and audience coming out and sending their hard earned money. With this film,we want to tickle your funny bone and we will and how! ‘Hum Tum Shabana’ has no competition next week. It’s got its own merit.

‘Delhi Belly’ changed entertainment
From the recent lot,I’ve enjoyed Delhi Belly. I don’t think it’s a comedy for me. It’s a whole different ball game and a genre of cinema. It’s changed the concept of entertainment I guess. I loved the movie ‘Horrible Bosses’. It’s even better than ‘The Hangover’. I am serious. It’s a fantastically comic film.

Favourite comics
I like Adam Sandler doing comedy and Jim Carrey doing comedy. They both steal the show in comic genres for me. Jim’s got this fantastic pathos and energy he brings out even in his physical comic characters. Like in ‘Ace Ventura’,’Bruce Almighty’,’The Truman Show’ etc. From India,I love Paresh Rawal,Satish Kaushik and Sanjay Mishra. All three are mind blowing actors and one of our industry’s most respected and finest when it comes to comedy.