Anupam Kher & Satish Kaushik Join Hands To Produce Films (So Where Does That Leave Former Friend Anil Kapoor?) By Subhash K Jha

Mergers are still rare in our film industry where distrust and suspicion are the ruling emotions. But now things seem to be changing.

After Sanjay Gupta joining hands with Ekta Kapoor, it's now two of Bollywood's most versatile actors Anupam Kher and Satish Kaushik, along with their friend from Delhi Manoj Mittal, coming together to make the kind films they believe in.

Says Satish, "Anupam and I have decided to launch our film productiom Karol Bagh Film & Entertainment Pvt Ltd, named after my birth place in Delhi. That's where Anupam has spent many afternoons with me and my family gorging on aloo parathas. We know each other for quite some time."

Anupam and Satish's first production is a young love story called Tere Sang with newcomers. "When I did a film on London called Brick Lane (based on Monica Ali's Booker winning novel) I learnt about cost-effectiveness.

I've applied the same ground les for shooting Tere Sang. Anupam and I want to make the films we believe in. Today in the film industry, a lot of legitimate finances are coming in. Today a filmmaker has to be a businessman to survive."

Adds Anupam, "Satish had earlier joined hands with Anil Kapoor once to produce Badhai Ho Badhai. One learns from one's mistakes.

I had earlier produced two films Rituparno Ghosh's Bariwali and Jahnu Barua's Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara. They suffered because of my lack of marketing knowledge. We want to target films at the youth. I know Satish for 32 years.

We've never had any problems with each other. As for Satish's rapport with the Kapoors, I'm sure he's eternally indebted to them, just as I'll always remain indebted to Mahesh Bhatt. "

The caustic reference to his soured friendship with Kapoor isn't lost on the new Kher-Kaushik alliance. In fact the merger is bound to take its toll on Kaushik's relationship with Boney and Anil Kapoor for whom he directed a wide spectrum of films from the fiasco Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja to the triumphant Mr India.

"There're bound to be repercussions," Anupam reacts tersely. "But you can't make omelettes without breaking eggs. Satish and I have known each other long enough to know what kind of films we want to make.

I like what Satish has done in Tere Sang. We're soon producing a children's film. The script has already been submitted by a director. And I myself plan to direct a film next year."

Concludes Anupam, "We aren't in a hurry to become tycoons as producers. Though we do want to get there eventually."