After "88 Antop Hill", Kushan Nandy is ready with his second film "Humdum" - the first Hindi film with a television game show as its theme.

He may not have the backing of his famous father, Pritish Nandy, but that hasn't deterred Kushan from making his mark in the fiercely competitive industry.

Kushan is co-producing "Humdum" under the banner of Sarvodaya Visuals with his enterprising partner, Kiran Shyam Shroff, the niece of veteran distributor, Shyam Shroff.

The budding director is keeping his fingers crossed that the film, starring Romit Rajj and Anjana Sukhani, will make a difference.

Q: What is "Humdum" all about?
A: "Humdum" is the first film shot on a game show. Game shows have always been a part of television but "Humdum" will be the first ever film in Hindi cinema to bring to the audiences the fun of a game show, which is "Play for love or money".

Q: What is the storyline of the film?
A: Sidhant De and Rrutu Joshi are two people who have never met. They are chosen to play the biggest game show ever, "Humdum". The prize money is Rs.100 million ($2.2 million). To win this all they have to do is not to fall in love. It has four crazy rounds, one final countdown and then the final question. They think it is the simplest way to make money till they finally start playing it...

Q: Is this a desi copy of a Hollywood flick?
A: No, not at all. It is a completely original idea. We went through one-and-a-half years of extensive scripting sessions to arrive at the hardbound script.

Q: You are reportedly planning a unique release strategy for the film.
A: The uniqueness of the subject has attracted a lot of attention from several sponsors. We have associated with a fashion corporate (Spykar), the hospitality industry (Mahindra Holidays), home designers, (Nitco) and also Globus. We've also selected exclusive satellite platforms for promotion and media tie-ups.

Q: Shringar being one of the oldest distributing houses, do you consider it a privilege working with them?
A: We released our earlier film through Shringar and we have had a very good experience working with their team. We would like to have a long-term association with them.

Q: "Humdum" and PNC's "Shabd" are releasing around the same time. How does that feel?
A: There is nothing unusual about it apart from the fact that every Friday witnesses one more box-office release. The film that appeals to the audiences gets its due at the box-office. Today the audience has become very receptive, which is one of the reasons why films with novel ideas are working at the box-office.

Q: Do you think stars are essential to get an initial draw for a film?
A: Every star is a new comer before he attains stardom. It is the films that make stars and not otherwise. Stars are like a brand name on which the audience imposes its faith. Once the audiences are convinced about the entertainment value of a film, they are automatically drawn towards it.

Q: How was it working with newcomers?
A: Romit is volatile and energetic, while Anjana is charming and talented. They are full of enthusiasm and hard work. The day Romit walked in for the talent hunt, I was sure he was the perfect choice for the role of Siddhant De, the hero. Anjana and Romit have an amazing chemistry on screen. Creating "Humdum" has been great fun.

Q: What next after this?
A: After "Humdum" my production house Sarvodaya Visuals has three films lined up for the coming year. Right now it's the release of "Humdum" that is a priority.