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Sunday, Jun 12, 2005

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International

The thrills in Amsterdam

Susan Muthalaly

AMSTERDAM: At the International Indian Film Academy Awards 2005 event in progress here, it was another day of weekend excitement.

Although Salman Khan arrived for the No Entry press conference when it was essentially over, there was a carnival air once he took a seat on the podium beside co-stars Celina Jaitley, Lara Dutta, Anil Kapoor, Esha Deol and Boman Irani. This was even though (or perhaps because) he wore his classic ïnjured puppy look and did not say anything until he was asked a question.

The film, produced by Boney Kapoor and directed by Anees Bazmee, is a comedy about three couples and one siren (Bipasha Basu). Salman, using his favourite screen name Prem, plays a "married bachelor" whose wife (Esha Deol) suspects nothing about his extra-curricular activities.

`Nothing happens'

One journalist wanted to know how Salman managed to handle the fourbeautiful ladies on the sets. Straight-faced and with strategically spaced meaningful pauses, he said: "When there's one leading lady, you know you can... concentrate. But with four, nothing actually happens." He then went on to say that anyway, all the cast members are "kind of friends, who don't see each other much", much to the delight of the byte-hungry media. Clearly pleased with the reactions, he continued: "Anil had to do all the handling, which he was not very good at. I think it's the age. He's almost there." To this, Anil Kapoor roared with laughter. Then Salman said: "But seriously, I am very happy to have done the film... I hope I don't have to do one like this anymore."

Lara Dutta plays Anil Kapoor's suspicious wife. She was asked if this film was similar to Masti, also a comedy about three couples that has Lara playing the temptress. She said the three-couple factor was where the similarity ended.

Boman Irani, who does not feature in the promos, plays a "sexy politician." He said: "When I was approached for the film, I heard that the shooting would be in South Africa, Mauritius, Thailand and a little bit of India. Of course I got stuck with the little bit of India. But that's what you get for playing an Indian politician."

Celina, who plays Fardeen Khan's girl, was asked by one South African journalist whether she had used her own voice in the film. She said: "I don't know why everyone thinks I don't know Hindi. I am an Army officer's daughter."

The film will be released in India in July. It has Anu Malik as music director.

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