Gurnaaz Kaur

In a novel attempt at a live press conference Varun Dhawan, Sara Ali Khan and Paresh Rawal unveiled the trailer of their upcoming film Coolie No. 1 that will premier on Amazon Prime Video on December 25.

These actors were live from Chandigarh and had a railway platform as their backdrop. So, it kickstarted with an energetic dance performance and a few dialogues by Varun Dhawan, who was dressed in a black leather jacket and pants. The actor shared his excitement for the film as he said, “This film means a lot to me because this is my father’s direction. This is his 45th film, so in Coolie No1 you can expect 45 times the fun, the comedy, the action, the romance, the dhamaal, the masala, everything actually because it is a crazy film.We’ve shaken up the original but the result remains the same, we want people to laugh.”

Then joined his leading lady Sara Ali Khan, clad in a red suit with statement sleeves. She landed straight in Chandigarh just a while before the conference started. Happy to see each other, as they exchanged a hug, the two actors made sure to clarify that they have tested negative for Covid.

Coming back to the event, the two said, “Our only aim is to make you laugh, we want to see that grin on your face. The year 2020 has been a very difficult year and we have all suffered but hopefully on December 25, you will laugh a lot with your family.”

This effort of stepping out of the comforts of their homes for this launch they say is because, “We want to add that fun back to trailer launches. This is the Hindi film industry and it should feel that way…”

In this re-adaptation and not a remake of the 90’s classic film Coolie No. 1, Paresh Rawal will play the role of Sara Ali Khan’s father. “Working with David is enjoyable because he is very clear as a director, the sense of proportion is really good and he doesn’t go over-the-top. Manmohan Desai and Rishikesh Mukherjee combined is David Dhawan,” says Paresh.

Having been a part of cult comedies, Paresh explained his approach towards work. “All I do is look at the script and make an honest effort to deliver it. If an artiste starts thinking about the outcome, that becomes a baggage and impedes the performance. That is for the director to think, I just do my job of acting.”

The trio seemed upbeat about the film and finding a platform for its release. They shared some of the memories from the days of making. And when asked if they felt any pressure working with David Dhawan considering he redefined the comedy genre in the 90s, Varun said, “I have always loved the screenplay and the performances in the original Coolie No 1. The preparation for this role was a great ride, the humour play was a lot of fun to do but when it comes to pressure, it’s natural when you work with a director who has done so many films and has had a high success rate but woh coolie hi kya jo bhoj na utha paye.”

Sara agreed there was a sense of pressure, “I’ve grown up listening to the songs and dancing to them. It’s surreal that now I feature in the reprised versions of these songs. I did feel some pressure but I made the most of working with such amazing actors. Their energy was a big push. And honestly, David sir is a guiding force, so I can easily say it was more fun than pressure.”

The press conference was joined by David Dhawan, who said, “Twenty-five years back I made this film with some amazing actors, Govinda and Karishma and late Kadar bhai. I’ve always made entertainers for the big screen, but this time Coolie No 1 will come direct to your homes, watch it anywhere.”