'It will be my take on Don'

l Everyone's awaiting Farhan Akhtar ki Don. What is the status?

We are into pre-production and by that I mean serious pre-production. I am finishing my commitments as judge of Nach Baliye here in Mumbai and flying off to Malaysia for the scouting and other recce work. There is really no time for any break of any sort. We start shooting from end-January.

lWill the film be a remake or an adaptation of the Chandra Barot original?

It's not really a remake. Rather, my take on it. It has the same characters and the same dilemmas but I have incorporated all the changes that have happened with the changing time.

For example, there are situations where one character couldn't inform another character because he didn't have a cell phone then. Now, you can't show that. So all those changes like the coming of Internet and mobiles have been made. But all that is just window dressing. Finally what matters is what the cake is made of.

lYou are known for the most innovative of song picturisations. What are you planning to do with Khaike paan Banaraswallah and Yeh hai Bambai nagariya?

My intention is to keep the original Khaike paan Banaraswallah track. But all the other songs are new compositions which have already been composed and will be recorded from the 28th of this month. I am again working with Shankar Ehsaan Loy and it is always a great experience to work with the three.

lWhat else is brewing at your production house?

Apart from Don, there are two other films. One is called Honeymoon Travels Pvt Ltd, to be directed by Reema Kagti, who assisted me on both Dil Chahta Hai and Lakshya. It's a very ensemble piece having everyone from Abhay Deol and Shabana Azmi to Amisha Patel and Shilpa Shetty. John Abraham is also supposed to have a special role.

Then there's my sister Zoya Akhtar's film Love Story which will star Hrithik Roshan and Kareena Kapoor and will start from October next year.

lWhat made you go in front of the camera for Nach Baliye?

I have always been a big dance freak and so wanted to be there when an out-and-out dance show happened on TV. I have been in front of the camera before. I have done a film called Fakir. Also, the whole idea of exchanging thoughts on dancing with people like Saroj Khan and Malaika Arora Khan is great.

lHow different is it to be on the sets of your own production from the sets of someone else's project?

It is quite liberating. Although the experience is very similar, here, the organising is done by someone else. So the process is all the more enjoyable (laughs). No, it's really great fun to watch these couples dance and taking the whole thing so seriously. As the weeks have gone by, they have taken more interest in their costumes and in their dance steps.

lAre you yourself on the show or are you asked to be someone else like the judges on other talent shows?

No, no, I don't have to be anyone. I just come and speak honestly. I always speak my mind. My job out there is to get the chemistry working between the couples. There's no malice while judging, no prejudice whatsoever. In fact, it's a very friendly and amicable atmosphere.

lWhich is your favourite couple, the one you expect to go all the way?

My personal choice keeps changing week from week. But I seriously feel it is the audience sitting back at home who should win at the end of it all. They should enjoy the most. And whichever couple can do that best should come out on top.

lAnd now that Malaika has performed under the choreography of Saroj Khan, when will you perform on the show?

That depends... There are no plans as of now but then it's possible. Let's wait and watch.