I want to get back into B-wood: Vinay Anand

Govinda’s nephew turns producer, to shoot first film in Lucknow and Kanpur.

Govinda’s nephew, Vinay Anand, who has done films like ‘Amdani Athanni Karcha Rupaiya’ and 60-odd Bhojpuri films, is turning producer with his first film, which will entirely be shot in Uttar Pradesh from July. Anand is in Lucknow to finalise the locations for the film. In it, he also plays parallel lead with his cousin and comedy star, Krushna Abhishek.

He is set to shoot 90% of the film in the state capital and smaller portions in Kanpur and Noida. Anand is the son of Govinda’s sister, Pushpa Ahuja Anand and writer-lyricist Ravi Anand.

“The theme of the film revolves around marriage, in which real life cousins play reel-life brothers. We have kept the working title as ‘UP Wali Wedding’ but before going on the floors, we will lock the film’s title, which will more-or-less be on the same theme only,” Anand said.

Vinay Anand with his cousin Krushna Abhishek.

They have decided to cast a new female lead and are in the process of finalising the other actors.

“We are trying to make a good comedy entertainer as the story has a lot of potential. Sumeet Naval, who assisted Ram Gopal Varma in ‘Sarkar’, ‘James’ and other films, is directing the film. The film’s story is by Gyan Ranjan. I have over 20 years of good and bad experience of cinema. Krushna is the top comedy star in the industry. We have the best line-producer (Aroon Singh) Dickyji. So, we have a good team in place,” he said.

Anand said that UP plays an important part in the film. “I want to make a movie here as my story is primarily about Uttar Pradesh. Subsidy is not just a criterion to come here but I want to credit the government for offering film-making benefits, which does help at the end of the day,” he said.

He said that the film will give a fillip to his cousin Krushna too. “He is a very big name in the TV market today but he is not getting work in films that he should have. I am his brother and I know what his potential is! He has done wonders in ‘Entertainment’, ‘Bol Bachchan’ and others but here he will be parallel lead and the focus will be on him. I want to show everyone that Krushna is not just a comedian but a big star too and by making a good film we want to take ourselves on another level,” he said.

In the late 90s, Anand was launched in Bollywood as lead actor in ‘Lo Main Aa Gaya’, followed by ‘Dil Ne Phir Yaad Kiya’, ‘Angaar’, ‘Mulaqat’ and ‘Aamdani...’, to name a few.

“My last film ‘Aamdani...’ in 2001, was wonderful. But then, I was not getting good roles, which is most important to me. Months and years passed and I was in need of money when I got this Bhojpuri film offer. I was getting descent money and I played the lead in ‘Thause Pyar Ba’ followed by ‘Chacha Bhatija’ and they were big hits. On one side, I was not getting good Bollywood roles and here I was flooded with work and going great guns,” he said.

Anand did some 60-odd Bhojpuri films. “I always played solo lead and in one which film in which I was with Ravi Kishan it was ‘Khatailal Mithailal’ in which we were in parallel lead. Despite doing Bhojpuri films, I have never done a kissing shot or double meaning songs or vulgar subjects. I was doing well but then regional films have a limited audience,” he said.

Now, he is getting back to Bollywood. “Having done well and earned name and fame, I want to get back into the Bollywood league. We have a good script and the team to make a film. We hope to make a good comedy entertainer and then it’s over to the audience,” he said.

First Published: Jun 07, 2019 15:40 IST