David

David’s young protagonist Vinay Virmani who is getting rapturous pre-release accolades for his performance as a young street musician whose life changes when Hindu fundamentalists kill the Christian priest who mentored him, has signed a film French director Jean-Francois Pouliot’s film on the basis of his striking post-debut performance. Vinay was first seen in a rather unfunny comedy <em>Breakaway</em> based on the game of ice hockey.

Bejoy Nambiar’s much talked-about David was cleared by the Censor Board Of Film Certification(CBFC) late on Monday night with just two minor cuts in the episode featuring Vinay Virmani. It is learnt from reliable sources that the Examining Committee of the CBFC had ordered prominent cuts in the episode featuring Vinay Virmani which deals with the sensitive issue of religious fundamentalism. Rather than take the cuts Bejoy went to the Revising Committee of the CBFC to fight against the Examining Committee’s decision.

Singer Lucky Ali, actor Neil Nitin Mukesh and director Bijoy Nambiar have been under the scanner of certain sensitive communities ever since the song Ya Hussain was aired. The minority community has urged Bejoy to remove the song as they feel it doesn’t befit their definitions of propriety. The song was played to the accompaniment of a sequence showing a Moharram procession in the film. The fact that the singer Lucky Ali was also a part of the same community that objected to the song, added an even more anxious edge to the safety of the film as it approached release.

The 59-year old Goan singing sensation Remo Fernandes who created ripples across Indian pop charts with his songs in the 1980s and 1990s including a much beloved tribute to Mumbai entitled ‘Bombay City’ is all set to perform live in Mumbai once again after many years. He will be performing on stage later this month at a musical concert promoting the songs of Bejoy Nambiar’s <em>David</em>. Remo has sung and composed 2 tracks in <em>David</em>.

There is some disappointment in store for Neil Nitin Mukesh. Bejoy Nambiar’s Hindi-Tamil bi-lingual <em>David</em> which was to feature Neil in both the languages would now have the actor only in Hindi.

Veteran actress Sarika turned down a part in Bejoy Nambiar’s David . But she happily agreed to do an item song in the film. The song , a remix of the old classic Sufi <em>qawwalli</em> <em>Damadam mast kalander</em> has been shot in black-and-white. Nambiar who’s delighted at this unexpected turn of events says he never thought the veteran actress would be interested. “Not only was Sarika<em>ji</em> keen to do the song she even helped us with its choreography,” says the director happily.

Veteran actor and writer Akaash Khurana’s son Akarsh Khurana would be playing a major role alongside Neil Nitin Mukesh in Bejoy Nambiar’s <em>David</em>. Akarsh, who is currently writing the new installment of <em>Krrish</em> for Rakesh Roshan, would be heading for the shooting as soon as he is done with his writing commitment. Says Bejoy, “Akarsh is an all-rounder. He is a true chip off the old block, and already a veteran of stage. He has co-written <em>David</em> with me. Akarsh features in a major role in the Neil episode of my film.”

Bejoy Nambiar, has been left with no choice but to film the three stories of his new film David in reverse. He has just completed the third story featuring Tamil star Vikram and Tabu. Now he moves into the second story this July with Vinay Virmani and Lara Dutta in the cast, though the two are not paired together. The first story with Neil Nitin Mukesh in the lead has been the most problematic. Though Neil green lighted the project, he is yet to find dates for it, as he’s busy shooting for a horror thriller with his lady-love Sonal Chauhan.