by Subhash K Jha

Not many people know this. But Abhishek Bachchan makes a cameo appearance in Sujoy Ghosh's ready-for-release "emotional comedy" Home Delivery.

Sujoy is a mixture of nervousness and thrills. "Abhishek just makes an appearance as himself. He was kind enough to do a very Hollywood-like cameo, whatever that means, and so was Karan Johar who plays himself in my film. Gee, talk about a biographical touch."

Now after Abhishek's cameo it will be his dad in Sujoy's next. "I was planning another film, a thriller called Borivili Express with Bachchan Saab. Now I've zeroed in on a fantasy caper that I want to do with him. I'll start scripting it once Home Delivery is out."

Sujoy intends to bring elements from several well- known fairytales into the project with AB senior. It would be his first arabesque fantasy since Shashi Kaspoor's Ajooba. Right now Sujoy is totally overpowered by the desire to see Home Delivery perform an encore to the cult hit Jhankar Beats.

"It's a tough act to follow up. The second film is always much harder. The first time people had no expectations from me. Now they expect another Jhankar Beats from me. That's really unfair. Home Delivery is nothing like my first film. Sure, it's funny."

"But it's the emotions that hold the plot together. I'd like people to laugh during Home Delivery . But I'd also like them to cry. If I succeed in bringing a lump in the throat at a time when some directors are trying to bring a lump in other places, I think I've hit home."

Sujoy is candid enough to admit the cast worked itself out. "I worked with the stars who were willing to work with me. And boy, am I glad! Vivek's comic aptitudes might have been debatable after Masti . Home Delivery will prove he's our best comic actor. He's also our most misunderstood actor. "

"All the rubbish I had heard about him proved to be just that. On the sets he was the most professional guy going. Once the camera switched off he would rush to his van to play with his PS2. All the actors from Boman Irani to Ayesha Takia to Mahima Chowdhary were so wonderful. There was absolutely no tension on the sets."

Sujoy wants to get way from doing the expected. "But you've to be like Sanjay Bhansali. You've to keep pushing the threshold every time. Jhankar Beats went much further than I expected. But I found a certain moist quality missing in my first film."

"I've tried to remedy that in Home Delivery. This time the screenplay is very complicated. I've given it my best shot. I've lived with Home Delivery for nine months. Now it's time for the delivery."