Non-stop Anant on to Na Na Karte

Actor-director Anant Mahadevan is not taking a break post Aksar, but has begun work on his next project, titled Na Na Karte — Believe it or Nuts, which will be produced by HMV. This marital comedy, based on his story, has Rajan Joseph and Mayur Puri penning the script.

Juhi Chawla, Rimmi Sen, Dia Mirza and Boman Irani have already been signed for Na Na Karte. "Two male actors have yet to be taken on board," informs Mahadevan about his new project, slated to roll in April.

Marriage gyaan

"My first film, Dil Vil Pyar Vyar, was a retro musical. Dil Maange More was a romantic comedy, while Aksar was moulded in the French Noir style," says Mahadevan. "With Na Na Karte, I explore the funny side of marriage. As a director, I want to take on varied subjects, and so far, each of my films have been distinct."

Besides Na Na Karte, Mahadevan will also do another project with Aksar producers Shyam and Narendra Bajaj. "We would like to work with the same team again. Emraan Hashmi has already been sounded off, and he seemed to like the story narrated to him," says Mahadevan, who has also signed a film with T-Series.

Aksar facts

Aksar received more brickbats than bouquets from critics, but this hasn't unnerved the director. "Aksar was sold at a reasonable price. The distributors have already doubled the profits," claims Mahadevan.

"Audiences are asking for repeat viewings of the Jhalak dikhlaja number. This Himesh Reshammiya number is a big craze."

He adds that it is so easy to rip a film apart. "What do they know about filmmaking. They don't know what it takes to direct a film and most are not even qualified to be critics in the first place."

Mahadevan adds that people are equating Aksar with the Mahesh Bhatt school of cinema. "I take this as a big compliment. Mahesh Bhatt knows the economics of filmmaking just right to rake in the moolah."

Sharing death space

Mahadevan has also directed a film, Staying Alive (his homage to late screenwriter, Sujit Sen), starring himself and Saurabh Shukla, which has a newspaper sub-editor and a don sharing space in the ICU – and both have their own viewpoints on death. "I am looking at a multiplex release for this film," he says.

Though Mahadevan has turned to direction, this does not spell an end to his acting. "Of course, I am still open to acting." On the theatre scene, he is director-actor in Ayesha Jhulka's play, Mujhe Rang De. "We have shows lined up in the US in April. The thrills in theatre are unparalleled," he says.