The ongoing debate over how much Kangana Ranaut has actually contributed to the script of Hansal Mehta’s Simran has finally been given a closure by a source close to the project who spills the beans on Kangana’s inputs.
“A lot of the dialogues that were written for other characters were finally mouthed by Kangana. This explains why the peripheral characters appear askew. Writer Apurva Asrani had written more depth into the supporting characters, kept the focus on the story and Apurva’s version attempted a deeper emotional connect with the protagonist Praful. In the film, other characters have either been cut from the scenes or their lines have been mouthed by Kangana herself,” reveals the source.
Apparently all the bank robberies that Kangana’s character undertakes were written differently by Apurva Asrani. “In the original script there is a context to this phenomenon and things like empty banks, drive-in banks, security guards are properly addressed. In fact Praful Patel is even chased by the police after an early robbery.”
Apparently Kangana re-wrote the bank robbery scenes, made them more quirky and comical as neither Hansal nor Kangana wanted the film to get dark and heavy.
Kangana also improvised the love-making scene with the Caucasian stranger she meets in a casino in Las Vegas. The line she throws at him, “No protection, no sex,” was written by her.
Says the source, “She improvised on the love-making scene and in her sexual harassment scenes. The biggest difference in the film and the original script is that the film focuses entirely on Simran/Kangana, while the earlier script balances other elements like the making of a robber, the migrant's story and a message of unconditional love. Also Apurva Asrani didn't write it as a farce. It was written with humour, but he always maintained a realistic approach. While Kangana’s character is certainly entertaining in the film, her journey is compromised, which is why we enjoyed her character and applaud the feminism Kangana has brought, but we don't feel for her or the story in the second half. And a story where you are excited for the lead, but feel nothing, will never work fully.”
Also added by Kangana was the revenge angle to the final robbery where she gets caught.
Says the source, “Simran’s return to rob the same bank where was earlier snubbed by the manager is Kangana's addition on set. Apurva didn't think the story needed this additional revenge angle. Plus, the African American character Bugs is only a henchman in the original script. Jeremiah his boss has a far more meaty part and isn't as two- dimensional. In fact, the scene where they lend her money for the first time, where Kangana insisted in repeating her Queen crying act, was written more plausibly in the script. In Apurva’s version of the script, Praful/Simran understands the implications of taking the loan, but is so addicted to gambling, that she throws caution to the wind. In the earlier script, the whole build-up to Praful robbing the first petrol-station is treated with her being far more desperate for money. So, when she actually robs, it's not a comedy track, it comes from a need. Sadly, while the bank robberies are entertaining, they lack any emotional impetus, and wear thin pretty soon.”
I reached out to Apurva Asrani for his reaction to the film and he sighed, “Yeah I’ve seen Simran. I just saw the film for the first time today. It’s quite different from what I had imagined, but I don't think I can be objective yet. I'm just happy that people are enjoying it, as a lot of hard work from everyone involved went into it.”
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