'Mr Bhatti on Chhutti' (2008)

'Mr. Bhatti on Chhutti', a Bollywood movie made in UK

'Friends are for ever' could be the other name of a Hindi film 'Mr Bhatti on Chhutti', set for release in May this year. How the film was made is also a fascinating story in itself of how friends in Bollywood help each other and make tricky projects possible.

Ashwani Chopra, a film production co-ordinator and Line Producer of several Bollywood films, based in the UK, dreamed of producing his own film when he was a struggling actor. "My eyes widened with excitement when my friend Gyan Kharaud shared my passion and agreed to come on board," says Chopra.

In 2007, after raising a small budget, Chopra approached another friend, Karan Razdan, a talented director from Mumbai, to direct his venture. Note it; there was no script in his kitty. Another problem; a film without a star is always a difficult proposition in chaotic Bollywood. So Razdan sat down and wrote a script keeping in view his old friend Anupam Kher, who immediately said yes to his buddie as both had studied theatre at the National School of Drama in Delhi.

More phone calls followed between friends, and this is how Ashwani Chopra realised his dream. "Touch wood, I had all the necessary experience behind me so I was able to wrap up the shoot within 25 days, including a two day shoot in Mumbai," he adds with a chuckle.

Bhairavi Goswami, a model-turned-theatre actor whose brief appearance (the nymph) in 'Bheja Fry' turned out to be her ticket to fame, provides the 'oomph' factor. She plays Anupam Kher’s secretary in the film.

'Mr Bhatti on Chhutti', filmed in Britain and directed by Karan Razdan, features veteran actor Anupam Kher in a lead role. Produced by, of course, Ashwani Chopra and Gyan Kharaud, the film has incredible prospects, says Kher.

"We shot it as a one-off thing. But the film has been such fun, we've decided to shoot an entire series of feature films based on the exploits of this amateur detective called Bhatti. We'll have 'Mr Bhatti Goes to China', 'Mr Bhatti in New York', and so on and so forth," Kher told media.

"I have a double role in 'Mr Bhatti on Chhutti'. Besides the detective, who's like Feluda and Hercules Poirot, I also play a sinister international terrorist. The idea is to let this detective and by proxy the audience have fun. We're making the series in 'Hinglish' and with an international cast comprising of Indian, Pakistani and Australian actors. Bhatti promises to be our first detective series. Apart from being an amateur sleuth, he's a big Amit Bachchan fan," adds Kher.

Amitabh Bachchan fan he is, but filming outside Bachchan's house, Jalsa, in Mumbai was a tricky issue. So Kher approached another friend, Jaya Bhaduri, Mrs Bachchan, who readily agreed. This again happened in the name of friendship otherwise Bachchans have become extra cautious about their privacy.

The film's story revolves around Anupam Kher who wins a lucky draw in Mumbai and ends up with a group of Indian tourists in the scintillating beauty of England's Lake District. "The locales in my film are incredibly beautiful. I must pay my gratitude to Cumbria Film Office, North West Vision and the Carlisle Council who went out of their way to help the unit in accessing the breath-taking views," says Chopra.

So Mr Bhatti goes to Lake District where he meets his nemesis- a wanted terrorist Abu- who resembles him. Yes, it's a typical Bollywood style double role for Kher. Police believe Mr Bhatti's resemblance with Abu could be exploited to nab the terrorist. Obviously, like a Shakespearan comedy, things do resolve in the end. One could say the story line is an Indian take on Mr Bean.

Ashwani says: "I'm grateful to Karan and Anupam for delivering a hugely entertaining movie. I'm proud that I have the best actor of Pakistan in my film, Abid Ali, another old friend, who's considered the Dilip Kumar of Pakistan. We also have Australia-born actress Emma Kearney in an interesting role. An emerging actor from India, Pawan Shankar, plays an important role. Opposite him is an emerging actress Neha Phendse. The music is by Southall's Channi Singh...so it's almost like making an international movie on my debut....it's just all due to my friends. The film looks so good."

Shakti Kapoor, Emma Kearney and Anupam Kher in 'Mr Bhatti on Chhutti'

Emma Kearney? Isn't she the one who in May 2006 became known for her incriminating photographs with Australian Cricketer Shane Warne. Her name was also associated with the fellow Australian actor Heath Ledger who died of an overdose in Jan 2008. But Chopra very astutely dodges the answer.

"Really!," as if he's asking a question.