Baar Baar Dekho co-producer Karan Johar got right back into his talk show host avatar with the core team of the upcoming love story for a round table chat, just to get us even more curious about the Sidharth Malhotra-Katrina Kaif starrer. And it’s working of course.
This is probably Bollywood’s first round table chat that we, the audience, is getting to watch and what an idea it is. The film’s motion poster just came out and the trailer release is around the corner too.
Director Nitya Mehra, Sidharth Malhotra, Katrina Kaif and the film’s producers Farhan Akhtar, Ritesh Sidhwani and Karan Johar spill the beans on the ‘high concept’ love story, and here’s all you need to know about it-
1. What Makes Baar Baar Dekho a ‘High Concept’ Film
Karan Johar had wanted to direct Baar Baar Dekho a few years ago, when he had first heard the script. But he felt that its concept was probably too ahead of its time to click with audiences back then. In fact, when Nitya Mehra, who is making this her directorial debut, had turned it down the first time too. Though she was blown away by its concept, but she felt it needed a lot of work in terms of screenplay. With a glass of wine and some convincing from Ritesh Sidhwani, she came on board and made it her own.
Hindi films are known for making love stories and moving forward I think we need to speak to the younger audience in a new kind of way, present love stories in a way that they probably enjoy and have not seen before. This film uses technology and things that the young mind is very very influenced by, to tell a story in a new kind of way. That’s what makes it high concept I think.Farhan Akhtar, Filmmaker and Co-Producer of Baar Baar Dekho
Hats off to Nitya for having chosen a film like this for her debut... to get a script which does not have a straight narrative, very high concept...again yet, being very simple and a love story. I’m very anxious to see what people think.Sidharth Malhotra, Actor
2. BBD is NOT About Time Travel
The theme of time is in there, as is the theme of love and life. But I don’t think it’s a time travel film at all.Nitya Mehra, Director
The film is unique according to Karan Johar because it poses a problem but then also gives a solution, unlike most films, that leave the resolution vague or open ended.
Essentially, the film is about this- what if you were given the chance to see the future, how good or bad would that be? In fact, Baar Baar Dekho is being pitched as a high concept film because it also throws at you the question- if you knew the future, would you do things any differently?
3. The Story Moved Katrina Kaif to Tears
When I heard the narration, I had the completely wrong concept and notion about the film. And when I ended the narration, the simplest way for me to put it is, there’s been two times in my life that I’ve heard a narration and I’ve cried. One, that film never got made, and this was the second time that that happened for me. As a girl and as a woman, it hit so deeply and very personally, which is why for me this was just the film which, I knew that minute that I was going to be a part of.Katrina Kaif, Actress
4. Sidharth Malhotra Ate 6 Meals During the Film’s Narration
While the story of the film brought Katrina Kaif to tears, it probably made Sidharth Malhotra hungry. Nitya narrated the script to him as he ate one meal after another, on the sets of Brothers.
The whole narration was me trying to guess what the film is about, what’s going to happen next, because unlike an audience that sees it with the trailer, when you hear a narration you just go with a blank slate. I couldn’t figure out what the film was trying to say, but essentially the message that came out...extremely emotional but I didn’t cry...but I did learn something.Sidharth Malhotra
5. Katrina and Sidharth Didn’t Get Along Initially
This was the first film that required Katrina to participate in an acting workshop. Through the different phases of these workshops, director Nitya Mehra felt that the actors weren’t vibing well enough and was actually worried about shooting the romantic bits of the film. Since it was Katrina and Sidharth’s first time working together, the Kapoor & Sons actor says that initially he was blown off by Katrina’s hot & cold treatment.
There’s a big portion of the film where I’m supposed to be very distant and he (Sidharth Malhotra) is supposed to be very confused. So what was happening in the film was exactly what was happening (for real).Katrina Kaif
6. Katrina Has a Test That Every Director Must Pass
Katrina Kaif has a clever way of making sure that she and the film are in good hands. Here’s how-
I realised one thing, I’ll make the point and the argument is the most necessary thing for me because in that argument I can see how convinced the director is. And if I can see that there’s no doubt or uncertainty, then I know that the director knows more than me, they’re the captain of the ship and I’m very possibly wrong.Katrina Kaif
7. Katrina Takes Her Songs Very Very Seriously
... and this caused Sidharth some trouble. He jokes that Katrina doesn’t know what a ‘duet song’ is because she’s so habitual of being centre stage that she literally knocks her partner off.
Katrina was annulling my presence, my foot, my face, my eye... I’ve been bruised and battered multiple times.Sidharth Malhotra
To answer Karan’s question about why she’s so obsessed with the filming of her songs, Katrina replied in all honesty.
See a scene may be an opinion. That’s why sometimes I’m not as opinionated about a scene or about a take. But dance to me is something where it’s easier for me to see what is right and what is wrong. And I think I just enjoy it.Katrina Kaif
8. Karan Johar’s Clever Game Will Tell You a Lot About Baar Baar Dekho
Trust Karan Johar to play a game and a clever one at that. Nope, this ain’t no rapid fire, but he did make each celebrity at the round table describe the one sitting next them in a single word. Here goes-
Farhan on Nitya- She’s a Romantic
Nitya on Sidharth- Beautiful
Sidharth on Katrina- CRUSH & Passionate
Katrina on Sidharth- Innocent
Katrina on Riteish- Smart
Riteish on Karan- Honest
Karan on Farhan- Childhood
So team Baar Baar Dekho has great things to say about each other. But we’re keeping our fingers crossed and our curiosity piqued for its 9 September release.
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