Kundan Shah is “not directing” Kahaani 2

For the director of Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron one of the most brilliant social satires of Indian cinema, it comes as an embarrassing shock to be accused of muscling into Sujoy Ghosh’s territory to direct the sequel to Kahaani 2. “Why would I want to make Kahaani 2? That’s Sujoy Ghosh’s domain. I think he did a brilliant job in Kahaani. The way he recreated the bustle and tension of Kolkata was amazing. I don’t think any other director could do justice to the Kahaani brand.” Explaining how he became embroiled in this unsavoury controversy Kundan Shah says, “I went to the producer Jayanti Gada with a woman-oriented subject. It was his idea to name it Kahaani 2 as he says the rights and title are with him. But I am not comfortable with this at all. Why should I claim any creative right over the Kahaani franchise? It’s Sujoy’s baby. I’d like the producers to patch up with Sujoy and make Kahaani 2, Kahaani 3, etc with Sujoy. I’d like to be left out of this.” Describing his next film as political satire Kundan Shah reveals, “There is a dead body in this one. I know Satish Shah’s corpse act in Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron is still remembered. But what can I do if a dead body popped up in this one too?” While Kundan Shah clams up on more information on his new film one learns it is a project titled Masquerade which Kundan was supposed to make with Mallika Sherawat in the lead. Now of course Ms Sherawat is no more commercially viable. So the producers will cast a new girl in the lead. Reacting to reports suggesting Kundan Shah would take of the Kahaani legacy Sujoy Ghosh says, “No one can make Kahaani 2 without my consent. I will direct a sequel that would hopefully respect and honour the love that people showed to Kahaani. I am here only to make films and not to defend my creation against poaching.” Sujoy says he has no worries about Kahaani being taken away. “It’s mine. Why should I react to some baseless report claiming someone else is making Kahaani 2? The only thing that bothers me is that my mother in Kolkata reads such stuff and gets upset. She will get used to it.”