Bobby Deol, Bipasha Basu and Priyanka Chopra in moments from BarsaatSuneel Darshan

Is Barsaat another of your musical love triangles?

On screen, Barsaat looks like another love triangle, but it has been inspired from a magazine article that I read two years ago. It was about these girls who were deserted every day in Gurdaspur. Around 50,000 of the six-and-a-half lakh girls there were abandoned by their husbands, who went abroad never to return. In the film, Priyanka (Chopra) plays this Indian girl whose husband, played by Bobby, leaves her. Bipasha is this very western-styled Indian girl whom Bobby meets abroad.

Some say Akshay left Barsaat. Some say he was dropped. What?s the real story?

Akshay actually shot for the film with one of the actresses. But then he had certain problems in doing the movie. He wanted me to wait and the movie kept on getting postponed. He kept on requesting me for more time. But how long can one wait? It became very inconvenient and then we decided to go ahead without him. While he became disassociated with Barsaat, Akshay did shoot for another film of mine, Dosti ? Friends For Life.

Was it difficult placing Bobby in Akshay?s shoes?

The character?s been more important than the actor playing it. But it was a challenge for Bobby. He is of the bang-bang cinema kind? very much the way Akshay was five years back before he came to my cinema. My films Jaanwar and Ek Rishta explored the emotional side of Akshay. I hope the same happens with Bobby? after a low comes the high. Also, he?s looking amazing in the film and he?s got scenes where he can perform. How long can you just jump around?

It?s been some time since you made a film without Akshay?

Yes, we have done six films together. Akshay was a habit with me. And habit like addiction is not a positive quality to have. So now I have broken that addiction. I can now work with all the newcomers and young stars in the industry. At the same time, Akshay has been a great actor. He has also put in a remarkable performance in Dosti? it should easily be his best ever.

Suneel Darshan

Were Priyanka and Bipasha your first choices?

Priyanka was. She, of course, debuted in Andaaz. When she was rejected by all and sundry in the movie industry, I gave her that film. I remember I used to tell Akshay that she was going to become big one day, but he was confused then. I was always sure about Priyanka. In Barsaat, she plays this ordinary-looking girl who slowly grows into a woman of substance.

Bipasha plays the leading lady of the film. She wasn?t my first choice. After casting Priyanka, I wanted Aishwarya to do the role. She was keen, too, but we had a problem in matching her dates with Akshay?s, who was the hero at that time. Then, Bipasha?s secretary called one day to fix a meeting. The last time I had seen Bipasha before that, she had put on weight. And I thought she had fallen in love and was happy with life. But the day she walked into my office, she looked stunning. All that extra flab was gone and her attitude was to strike back. It?s very important for a director for his actress to have that kind of an attitude. I got Manish Malhotra to design her clothes and once you watch her in the film, you will find her most desirable.

What?s the status of Mere Jeevansaathi?

It should release in end-September. I know Mere Jeevansaathi is delayed, but the theme, the look, the performances are so timeless, it shouldn?t be affected at all.