In conversation with Subhash K Jha, Priti Sinha, daughter Of Andaz Apna Apna producer Vinay Sinha talks about the re-release of the cult comedy, revealing why she thinks it is such an enduring hit and if there will be Andaz Apma Apna 2!
Our beloved comedy, your father’s dream project, has audiences giggling and chuckling all over again, does that make you and your siblings happy?
The re-release of Andaz Apna Apna is a tribute from Namrata, Amod and I to our late father, Producer Shri Vinay Kumar Sinha. We are very excited to see the 1990s fans as well as the younger audience of today going to theatres with family and friends and enjoying the film, laughing and even dancing in the theatres. It is gratifying in so many ways. We have released the film in 600 screens Nationwide and as the audience is showing their love for the film in large numbers we will now steadily increase the number of screens.
How many times have you seen Andaz Apna Apna and what according to you is the secret of its longevity?
I don’t even know the number of times I have seen Andaz Apna Apna and that is the truth, yet every time I watch it the film feels fresh and I am ready to watch it again. The secret of its success is that it’s a timeless comedy and also the fact that it’s probably Aamirbhai’s and Salman’s best work till date and their only film together.
How tough was it for your father to manage the impossibly large star cast, were they all cooperative?
The entire star cast and crew were very co-operative during the making of the film. The combination date problem of all actors, the extended and extra shoot of the film and the long four years it took to make the film were challenges that my father faced head on. My father completed the film with a long struggle but a strong conviction. Many people thought that the film would not be completed nor would it release owing to the long delay in the making of the film, but my father proved everyone wrong and released the film and the rest is history. For Namrata, Amod and I, he is the true hero of the film. The lead cast Salman and Aamirbhai stepped forward and supported my father and helped him sort out the date problems. Also Salim Khan Uncle and Salman were a great support to my father through out the making of the film. A lot of our actors in the film including Mehmood Sir, Deven Verma Sir, Jagdeep Sir did the film for the love that they had for my father. The entire crew including Lyricist Majrooh Sultanpuri Sir, Music Director Tushar Bhatia, our DOP Ishwar Bidri Sir, our Sound Recordist Rakesh Ranjan Sir, our Editor V N Mayekar Sir, Choreographer Saroj Khan Ji, Dialogue Writer Dilip Shukla Sir and our Writer-Director Rajkumar Santoshiji worked on the film along with my father and made the greatest comedy film of all times . My father was immensely proud of his film.
I believe the actors did not show up for the premiere when it was first released, now they have gone missing from the premiere at the re-release?
Yes, it’s true , no actor and even the director did not come for the 1994 Premiere of the Film. Aamirbhai and Salman were not in town then and were shooting so they were unable to come. But the entire crew and other actors did come for it. During our present re-release, we did not have a premiere of the film. We did a simple screening and we did not do any media coverage of the screening since it was for our cast and crew and their family and friends. Aamirbhai wanted to watch the restored film and he had asked us to keep this screening. We had informed Director Rajkumar Santoshiji of the same and he had confirmed his presence too. However, Aamirbhai informed me in the evening on the day of the screening that he was unable to come followed by Rajji’s message about not attending the screening. The rest of the lead cast had informed us that they were unavailable to attend the screening. Salman and Karishma were out of town. The screening went off very well. Cast and crew members with family came and saw the restored film and blessed the film and us.
There are many claimants to the rights of the sequel please tell us what the family’s plans are?
There are absolutely no claimants to the rights of the sequel. The IP rights of Andaz Apna Apna belongs to Vinay Pictures absolutely and completely. This film is our late father’s legacy. Since the last thirty years there have been talks about a sequel of the film and my father and we have had several meetings with the director Rajkumar Santoshiji to direct this film for us. However, nothing has materialized over the years with him. Presently , the work on the sequel is underway by our Production House Vinay pictures and an official announcement on the sequel will be made by us very soon.
