Manoj
Kumar said he chose such a theme as he was born in Abbottabad,
a town of the North West Frontier Province now located in Pakistan,
adding that he would take a few Pakistani actors for the film.
"I was inclined to this subject since I
have lived in Pakistan and now am living in India. I know the
cultures of both the countries," he explained. He is donning
the director's mantle after 1999 when he made "Jai Hind".
Asked if he still had any grudges against superstar
Shah Rukh for the spoof on him in Farah Khan's 2007 film "Om
Shanti Om", he said he had moved on but asserted that what
Shah Rukh had done was wrong.
"Shah Rukh did a dirty thing. When I reacted
he then visited me, apologised and said he will remove the scene
from the film, but he did not keep his promise. It was not that
I get angry with people on everything, but I have to protect the
image of Manoj Kumar. Later when he removed the scene, I dropped
the matter," Manoj Kumar said.
"It's been two years and now I don't have
any grudges against him. He is just like a younger brother to
me," he added.
Manoj Kumar had objected to the spoof on him
in "Om Shanti Om" and filed a lawsuit to get the scenes
deleted, but the issue was later settled out of court.
Manoj Kumar said he would like to cast new faces
in his new venture though he likes Aamir Khan best among the current
lot of heroes.
"I like Aamir's work and I'm particularly
happy that he is doing less and only meaningful work, but for
my film I want fresh faces," the Padma Shri awardee said.
"I am negotiating with a few actors, but
nothing is confirmed as of now. I have decided to take one or
two actors from Pakistan for the film," he said.
Asked if he would like to act in his film or
take up other acting assignments, the yesteryears actor said:
"I will never impose myself on a script. If there is a suitable
role for me in a film, then I will do it; otherwise I won't push
myself into it."
"As far as signing any other film is concerned,
I have always been very focused about the kind of work I want
to do. In 50 years I have worked in only 42 films. I have always
believed in quality and meaningful cinema and not quantity. If
I get something like that, I will do it," he added. |