By Subhash K Jha

Everyone is agog as to what Aanand Rai who has sprung the biggest surprise of the year at the boxoffice with Tanu Weds Manu by grossing over 40 crore rupees worldwide, would do next.

But it isn't WHAT but WHERE Aanand Rai is going next that makes the project interesting. After raking in the moolah with Tanu Weds Manu and bailing out the ailing company that had gone into the red with projects of the waking-‘dread' like London Dreams and Striker, Aanand has now negotiated and stuck a deal with Eros Entertainment for his next film.

Confirming this development Aand reluctantly reveals, "It's a project that would require a lot more resources. Though let me quickly add I am not going abroad to shoot in the casinos of Vegas and the gondolas of Venice.

My next film will again be located in the North Indian heartland. It will again be relatable to characters whom we all know in the North. But this time there will be dark undertones. "

Speaking on his surprising crossover from Viacom 18 to Eros Aanand says, "Shall we just say, Eros seemed more interested in my next project. "

While Aanand choses to remain discreet about the break with the company that in many ways gave the director's career a new lease of life Viacom who of late seem completely taken up with the production of the Amitabh Bachchan actioner Bbuddah, maintain that Aanand is working on a future project for them.

Ram Mirchandani, the Creative Head of Eros surprises by revealing that Eros had wanted to hop on board as a producer for Tanu Weds Manu.

Says Mirchandani, "I could feel Aanand was doing something different and exciting in Tanu Weds Manu. I wanted to fly down to Lucknow where he was shooting and offer Eros as a producer. But it never worked out.

We're so glad Aanand is doing his next film for us. It's going to be even more path-breaking than Tanu Weds Manu. . Aanand has shown the boxoffice who the hero is. It's the script that gets top billing in the audiences' perception. "

Ironically Aanand's next will have big-name stars. Hope they are willing to take secondary billing to the script.