Preity Zinta’s comeback film ‘Ishkq In Paris’ director Prem Soni whose life is shaken up and down due to loss of his father and fighting his own illness of cancer last year. IndiaGlitz got candid with this brave heart director who fought with his illness and back to release his delayed film ‘Ishkq In Paris’...

Was there some kind of pressure to portray Preity in the film?

In this film if you see Priety you would like to take her home. She is so good, so fantastic. She is going to shock people because you will feel that the old Preity is back because it is a rom-com which is her forte. Since long time you haven’t seen Preity in rom-com. After 3 years she has not done any movie. I don’t think that in rom-com anyone else can beat her. She is a queen of rom com. She has discovered this genre. To get her in this genre wasn’t pressure for me. It was advantage for me.

The story of the film was written by you and Preity. So how much contribution Preity in the story?

The basic parameter was the entire story was written by me. I had done a script and I gone to her. She liked the script and said yes. And to pop out yes from her was biggest challenge because she wasn’t doing films. While narration she started talking and enjoyed her talk. I made note of her few talks and then added to the script because the character was exactly the same the way she was talking. So I told her that I have added lines from you and asked her to share the credit in writing. Preity has shared many of her experiences of life in this film and they are very funny.

Was it a challenging process to cast actor opposite Preity?

It was very challenging to cast opposite Preity but it wasn’t that challenging for me as she is full of energy and Rehan is opposite of it. Two talkative people can’t be together. Rehan is intense in the film. He is the perfect boyfriend or husband material in the film. When we decided to work my first and foremost condition was to cast a newcomer because she is in the industry for so long she could have cast anyone known but I wanted to make a difference in my film so I casted Rehan. Preity and the new boy bring the freshness to the film.

Why to choose Paris in your film?

I wanted to make present love story. Paris is the city of love but the irony of life is we never get love. If you go to Paris then you will understand that the vibe at day and night is different. It is dynamic city. You feel you can date here but then in one lane there is a date and in other lane there is a break up too. This film is like that. If you get love then you will lose also. Paris is a beautiful city and I hope it will have an effect on the audience.

Isabelle Ajani is playing a very important part of the film. She is very crucial to the plot. We were searching for a French actress for the film. Logically she had to be known person in France. It wasn’t easy to get her through in the film because she is such a star and stunning looking woman. When we gave her the script she was inclined towards to work. Since very long time she wanted to do a Bollywood film but no good script reached her.

Do you think romance is back on the silver screen as Aashiqui 2 did very well at the box office so it is the right time to release the film?

The trailer is out. Everyone is talking now. If your conviction is right then everything works thriller, comedy, horror and action. It wasn’t planned after Aashiqui 2. We are coming in the right time because now people mind is set. Everything has a flip and flop side. Love story is a genre which will be alive forever.

How was Salman Khan roped in for the film?

Preity is a very good friend of Salman bhai and he is my mentor. He is everything I am here. It wasn’t difficult to get him but I have written him in the film keeping him in mind. I don’t have a working relationship with Salman Khan. He is my friend. I genuinely respect him. I don’t think I have a relationship that we will work together. I have a relationship that we will be friends till death. Whenever I am hurt the name come in my mind for help is Salman. Since 6 years we are friends. The relation is beyond work.

Was Salman concern about your well-being?

He is very concern. He is a very genuine guy. He is not pretentious. If it touches his heart he does not care of small big status. When I was going through tough time he was constantly in touch with me. He called me and said you did not call me. So yeah that kind of relationship we share. I don’t call him frequently and I don’t like to bother him because I know he is very busy. I am assured that he is always there.

Nobody because I don’t know anyone. Beside both I am not close to anyone in the industry. I am not open up about my life to anyone. Salman bhai knows about my life in and out. Now Preity knows.

Is your perception towards life changed now?

A lot. It was a very tough and painful time. I t was the learning time. It was challenging. It being 6 month now I can talk about it.

Are you at any chemotherapy?

No. I am absolutely fine. I am rocking.

During that time when the rumours were floating about the film? What was your reaction?

I used feel very sad when I come to know such things. We started shooting the film in Feb 2012 and we finished in august 2012. I think it is the fastest film we finished. We were super ambitious to release it in October and I don’t know why. We were so excited and enthusiastic about the film that we did not look left right we just concentrated on the centre. Unfortunately tragedy happened with me. My health was in scanner. I lost my father. It took out all my courage and made me feel down. It was the darkest phase of my life. So I told Preity I am very weak now you better release the film. Preity said we started the film together and we will end it together. You consider me as a friend and we are friends for life. I felt happy and sad both at the same time. I felt happy as I found a friend and sad as she was losing money. So I said you will bear loses you better release the film and she said you come first, money come later. At that time I kept quiet. A part of me said arre she will lose money. Then this rumours started floating and I felt bad that a person who is giving importance to relation that nobody is writing about instead writing nonsense about the film selling. Preity is capable of producing a film then she is also capable of releasing it.