Anil Kapoor is in the US, but trouble has reached him all the way from India.He’s riding the Slumdog wave and enjoying the international recognition that the success of the film has brought him (which includes the serial 24). But his production, Short Kut: The Con Is On, ran into trouble recently, just before its release yesterday. A certain BS Bhullar moved the Delhi High Court, alleging that he had planned a film by the same name and had even approached Anil to play the lead in it. He further alleged that the actor’s production company copied the title in an “illegal and unauthorised” manner.However, the film was released on time, after Anil agreed to pay Bhullar Rs 35 lakh. “Haan, aisa hua tha,” says Anil, over the phone from the US. “But one always faces these hiccups before the release of each film.
This has become a regular practice in the industry. I’d rather call it a malpractice. We sorted out the issue and the film released on Friday morning, as it was scheduled to.Does he think this a way to target celebs – filing notices just before the film’s release? Anil’s film isn’t the first – Rakesh Roshan’s Krazzy 4 and many others have faced similar suits. “Yes, it definitely is. These moves are aimed solely at extorting money and it’s sad that some people have made this their business. It’s just about money,” says Anil.The actor, though temporarily upset because of these glitches, is in a happy bubble otherwise. He is in Los Angeles, busy shooting for 24. “It’s a phenomenal show. It’s out of the ordinary and I feel extra special.
I’ve shot four episodes already and I shoot the fifth and sixth today onwards. It is coming together very well and I am having an absolutely great time in LA,” says Anil.But people back here have started missing him. Shekhar Kapur had even said in an interview to DT that he thought Anil won’t come back to India for the next five or ten years because he’s going to lap up so much work on phoren shores. What happens to the sequel of Mr India, then? It is true that I am spending a lot of time outside the country, but it’s also true that my heart is in India. Mera dil to wahin hai… and in whatever time I get between my shooting schedules, I’m found in India. I’m game for Mr India 2.
It all depends on the script. Shekhar has to write the script, he has promised that he is going to write it. The day the script is in, I’ll be on the project. So, Mr India is on!” adds Anil.
