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Till divorce do us part

V S Srinivasan

Jackie Shroff. Click for bigger pic!

A wag said an apt name for this film would be Hum Aapke Hain Con. But the producers -- chronic realists, they -- named it Chhal.

The film has been in the making for a very long time but, fortunately for the producers, the stars, Jackie Shroff and Kajol, haven't faded from public memory.

The shoot is on at the Krishna temple, better known as the Sanyaas ashram, in north-west Bombay. The shot, we are told, is about a prayer session that ends up as a marriage. We didn't get that, of course.

Atul Agnihotri too is there, cracking jokes, and laughing hard to drive the punch lines in. He hasn't much to his credit in the industry yet other than his marriage to Salman's sister Alvira. And maybe the backing he has from Mahesh Bhatt. He is in a spot.

The pretty Kajol was there too, smiling to herself at some secret thought.

Dressed in a muted green sari, Kajol looks very pretty. And we had thought the girl looked good only in short dresses. Anyway, if she is really married to Ajay Devgan as claimed, then she will have to just get used to the sari. Papa Devgan is known to be pretty traditional, at least at home.

Ayesha Jhulka. Click for bigger pic!

Kajol is apparently oblivious of our gaze; she's absorbed by her book. The PRO is in a hurry to introduce us to her.

"I know them," she says and goes back to her book again.

"Why are you reading that stupid book?" the exasperated PRO finally asks her.

"Let me read. I'll read what I want. But if you want me to talk to the press, just tell me so," she says, and then laughs. She was just trying to get the PRO's goat.

Another readjustment of view required here, we realised. We thought that Kajol was the blunt, no-nonsense type in real life. But clearly she doesn't mind a little bit of horseplay. And she had us convinced that she was all involved with her book. But that we knew -- that she was a good actress.

"Chhal is an interesting subject, even if some early premises are corny. I am in love with someone, but is forced to marry someone else due to circumstances. I try every trick to rid of my husband; while Atul, who is in love with me, also tries to get rid of his wife.

Atul Agnihotri. Click for bigger pic!

"While we are scheming, there's one lady who's a bigger schemer than us both, aiming to profit more than us..."

Chhal was conceived four years ago by three non-resident Indians -- Pradeep Jain and Saumil Patel and Ashutosh Bajpai. The last named expat is also doing a small role in the film.

We had met them, when the plans were still fresh from the drawing board. Then they had told us that Feroze Irani had given them a good subject and that they planned to sign up Juhi Chawla, to act opposite Atul Agnihotri. Fiftyfive pe rcent of the film had already been shot then with the others.

But now the heroine of the film is Ayesha Jhulka, Juhi stating such a small role was beneath her.

Meanwhile, director Irani is looking a little harried, readying the shot. It requires Kajol to go with Agnihotri to a temple where wishes are granted.

The story has it that Jackie Shroff, a cop, is hiding in the temple watching out for a conman. And that is when the garland Kajol flings accidentally lands around his ears. Well, marriage, see?

And the story is about Kajol trying to obtain a divorce from Jackie, and Atul from Ayesha Jhulka.

"We have had to reshoot a few portions as Kajol looks pretty young in them, and because now she has matured tremendously as an actress," says a unit hand. That was very nicely put, wasn't it?

Aruna Irani

Jackie finishes the shot and goes around chatting with the unit. He bums a beedi from a unit hand and lights up. We remind him of a conversation about vegetarianism, also four years ago, during the first schedule of this film.

He perks up as a favourite topic comes up for discussion.

"My family and I sit at the same table; I eat vegetarian food and they eat non-vegetarian. But sometimes when I cook at home, they have to eat what I make. I only cook vegetarian," he laughs. So do we before asking what he is doing in Chhal?

"Kya yaar, mazaak karta hai kya? Police officer ka kapda pehankar mein kya disco dancer lagta hoon?" He laughs again.

Then he adds more seriously, "It's the role of a nice man who tries to make his wife happy and yet also makes her feel bad for the wrong she is doing just to get rid of him. She tries her best to get a divorce from me and, surprisingly for her, I don't resist. I am not supposed to tell you whether she actually manages to get a divorce," he adds as an afterthought.

Kajol. Click for bigger pic!

You go over to the producers and note they are happy to see you again after such a long time. So is director Irani. Makes us feel wanted, they do.

Earlier, Adi Irani was directing the film along with Feroze, but now Feroze is managing alone. Incidentally, Feroze is Aruna Irani's brother. Aruna, he says, is playing a pivotal role in the film.

"Watch out," he warns, "she will definitely give a great performance in the film."

Aruna has already won a Filmfare award for the best supporting actress for her role in Beta, directed by another of her brothers, top director Indra Kumar.

Asked about the delay in making the movie, Irani says, "Star differences or financial hassles happen in most Hindi films. As long as the continuity of the film is maintained, everything is fine... The only point is that it should look presentable."