Anand L Rai, director of upcoming film Raanjhnaa, said that he did not sense any discomfort between Abhay Deol and Sonam Kapoor while filming the project. The relationship between Abhay and Sonam reportedly went sour during the making of Aisha, after the actor had publicly expressed displeasure with the way the film was being made. The film was produced by Sonam's father Anil Kapoor.
"Even I had heard about all this. Sonam liked the film and she came on board. Then I told the story to Abhay. He liked his part and agreed to do the film. There were no issues at all between Sonam and Abhay. I did not feel any cold vibes between both of them while shooting for the film," Rai told PTI in an interview here.
Besides Abhay and Sonam, the film also stars Kolaveri Di famed actor-singer Dhanush, who is making his Bollywood debut through the project. The Tanu Weds Manu director said he wanted actors who could play ordinary characters on-screen. "When I finished the story, I was sure I need somebody who is simple and ordinary, it was not about the looks. I needed that small town feel inside them and not on their faces. I felt we needed someone like Dhanush and Sonam," Rai said.
Rai's previous film Tanu Weds Manu was set in Kanpur, and Raanjhanaa is shot in Varanasi. "I think all my stories ask for certain innocence, which can be in Mumbai or Delhi but somehow the flavour is not gelling very well with these places. All my stories have a nostalgic touch to it. I don't go to Lucknow or Kanpur or Banaras for the walls and structure, but for the heart beat. I feel these towns can take my story in real space, present it more rightly and make it their own," Rai said.
The director insists making Raanjhanaa was a challenge. "As a director I wanted to challenge myself. There was an urge of telling a love story. It was not easy, whenever I thought I have reached or attained something there was leap ahead of me. But that is where the challenge lay. And that hunger to do the film helped me," Rai said. The film will release on June 21.
