I opened my mouth to speak… and found something flying in and wedging itself between my tongue and palate. Shocked, I put a finger into my mouth and looked up at the same time… and found millions of them raining down on me. ‘Oh my god!’ I let out a mini scream, but before I could react further, the vision before my eyes blurred as tons and tons of confetti — yes, confetti… what did you think?! — came hurtling down in front of me. Well, on a Rohit Shetty set, this is nothing… it could well have been flying cars instead of flying confetti!

That’s the scene that greeted t2 when we walked in one sunny August afternoon to the sets of Shetty’s Golmaal Again in Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad. The man who has carved out an enviable reputation of crafting box-office behemoths out of formulaic fare, is hollering instructions on a mic, even as junior artistes, dressed in garish silk costumes, rehearse their steps for the day. In true Bollywood tradition, a man Friday holds up a giant black umbrella to shield Shetty from the blazing sun, but the filmmaker — dressed in black from top to toe with a red checked shirt carelessly thrown on top — couldn’t care less. He walks about like a panther on set — a black figure in a sea of pinks and blues, greens and yellows — going up to almost every artiste and whispering instructions.

At another end, choreographer Ganesh Acharya, practically unrecognisable after knocking off 87kg (!!) in 18 months, is setting up a dance sequence on the steps leading up to a white-coloured mansion, with some extras. Amid blasts of confetti, we spot a series of giant tableaux — like the ones you get to see on TV in the Republic Day parade — make their way down the length of the set. Extras line the length and breadth of the ‘street’ around the tableaux, with some even making their way to the roofs of the houses all around to rain down some more confetti. Yes, this is grand… this is huge… this is the Golmaal Again title song being shot.

HAPPY SHOOT FOR HAPPY FILM

“In Golmaal tradition, we are shooting the title song… bigger, better, four times over. It has a festive feel, almost like a carnival,” Tusshar Kapoor — a constant in all Golmaal films, starting with the first in 2006 — tells us on the sidelines of the shoot.

As assistants run helter-skelter, making last-minute adjustments before Shetty and his ADs (assistant directors) scream out ‘Action’, there is a stir in the crowd: Ajay Devgn, the star of all the Golmaal blockbusters and a familiar face in Shetty’s films, appears on the steps where Ganesh Acharya has been setting things up.

The shot? Devgn, again in all black and reflective glares, has to do the familiar Golmaal hook step (yes, the one that goes Go, go, go Golmaal) and then stick an air-filled hose into a drum of confetti and let loose millions of them… again! As the minutes tick by and the sun blazes down, Devgn gives take after take — puffing on a cigarette or two in between — before his director and choreographer are satisfied at what seems to be the seventh or eighth one.

“It’s fun to be a part of Rohit’s films… and we have made so many together now (for the record, Golmaal Again — the fourth film in the smash-hit comedy franchise — marks the 10th time Shetty and Devgn are working together). The Golmaal films are festive, families go together in huge numbers to watch them and they are very happy films. That’s the reason I keep doing them,” Devgn smiles and tells t2.

As Devgn takes a break and waits for the next shot to be readied, we spot Kunal Kemmu — who joined Golmaal 3 as Laxman — engaged in serious discussion with Rohit Shetty. But the two boys soon get distracted — and so do we — when two gorgeous things arrive on set: a Purple Grand Tourer and an orange BMW. The first thought on our minds:

Is Shetty going to blow these up as he’s done in every film before this?! “Relax,” laughs the man when we voice our apprehension. “This time I am not blowing up any cars. Main detox pe hoon!” Does that mean that action man Shetty has had his fill of fast cars and crazy action? “Arre, I don’t need to. I made eight films last year in which I blew up cars!” Before you can turn around and scream, ‘What?!’ the man continues “Yes, my name was there in almost all the reviews for Fast & Furious and xXx…. Some film had a huge sequence with cars, so a critic wrote, ‘It felt like it was Rohit Shetty’s birthday!’ So I’ve given a rest to cars this time,” he laughs out loud.

But that doesn’t mean that the scale of the film — and the song being shot on the day — is anything less than grand. People are everywhere, the sets are massive, the clothes expensive… and the mood very jovial.

“For me, being happy on set is very important and making this film has made me very happy,” says Shetty who has acquired the rights of the Golmaal franchise, making Golmaal Again his baby completely. And the man is making sure that the film — set to be the big Diwali release this year — spells B-I-G on all counts. “There are heli shots… jimmy jibs at every corner… 500 dancers… beautiful sets… I’m having the time of my life,” Parineeti Chopra screams when t2 meets up with her on the sidelines. Parineeti — who gives us serious envy with that lovely blue jacket she sports on her svelte frame — is an addition to the Golmaal madness. And she’s loving every minute of it. “Every Golmaal title song has become a big hit, even the hook step is still a rage. This is one of my biggest songs,” smiles the chirpy star. Paired opposite Devgn in Part 4, she steps into the rather large shoes vacated by Kareena Kapoor.

“I don’t think there’s anyone in this country who hasn’t watched Golmaal. My dad, who doesn’t watch many films, knows every character by heart. He was most excited the day I signed the film. It was an honour for me to sign the film because it was like joining the big league… being a Rohit Shetty heroine and starring opposite Ajay Devgn! Golmaal is big game for me. I’m very sad this film is coming to an end… the boys and I have become very close. The crew is amazing and Rohit Sir is the best producer. It’s been my favourite shooting experience of all my films,” says Parineeti who also bonded big time with Tabu, who too joins the franchise here.

“Tabu and I bring a special something to the film. We are not just heroines… we bring a magic touch. She’s phenomenal,” says Parineeti. Tabu, who isn’t part of the title song, had a day off from shoot and had sprinted home. Yes, she lives in Hyderabad.

SAB GOLMAAL HAI!

It’s time for the next shot. All the actors — Ajay, Parineeti, Tusshar, Kunal, Arshad Warsi and Shreyas Talpade — line up in front of the dancers and do the Golmaal hook step almost perfectly. But Rohit Shetty wants some variation. His suggestion to Ganesh Acharya? As the others do the Golmaal step, let Devgn try out the Singham signature step — the one that’s similar to turning a bulb in its holder. Acharya agrees immediately and the actors get to work. “It’s a very big song and the music (created by Pritam) has a very massy feel. So I am happy we decided to mix things up a bit and merge Singham with Golmaal,” Acharya, taking a breather between shots and sipping on water with a straw, tells us.

The chemistry and camaraderie among the Golmaal cast and crew is evident, with the actors not retiring to the AC environs of their vanity vans but sticking around to chat with the unit hands in between shots. “Shooting this film has been a joyride. Today, the emotions are like how kids feel at the end of a fun day at the amusement park when they are on their last ride. This unit is like family,” Kunal tells us. Talking of family, the man is all set to start his own soon with wife Soha poised to deliver their first child in September. “I’m very excited and happy. A lot of people said it would be unnerving and would give me sleepless nights, but I haven’t felt any of that. I just can’t wait to be a father now,” he beams.

So has Kunal been taking any parenting tips from new dad Tusshar, whose 14-month old son Laksshya has accompanied him to the Hyderabad schedule? “Well, we do a lot of daddy talk for sure. Tusshar has become way more mature after becoming a dad. He spends so much time with Laksshya. He loves his kid, man!” says Kunal, who says he can’t wait for his “blockbuster” (yes, that’s how he puts it) to arrive.

Talking of blockbusters, the Golmaal films have always delivered at the box office and Shetty is quite upbeat about the fourth. “The level of excitement is more making this film because the previous three have worked at the box office. It happens very rarely that you are more excited than nervous about showing your film to the audience,” he tells t2.

FAMILY FILM TO DATE WATCH

The actors can a couple more dance shots — all seeming like child’s play for them, including Devgn who is known to be a non-dancer, before taking a break. So what is it about the Golmaal films that’s made audiences go ha-ha over the last 11 years? “It’s a clean family entertainer… it’s also a date film. All the Golmaal films are watched and rewatched on TV even today and that’s why it doesn’t seem like we are coming back a good seven years after Golmaal 3,” says Shreyas Talpade, who joined the cast as Laxman (yes, he and Kunal have the same name in the film) with Golmaal Returns in 2008.

With the sun going down rapidly, Shetty thinks it’s time to call it a day. His call of ‘Pack up!’ is met with cheers all around as the team, with wide smiles, gets ready to come back for another day’s work. “See, it’s such a happy and fun set. Everyone wants to work in a Golmaal film. For me, these films are like paid vacations. I get to work with friends like Ajay, Kareena and now Tabu and I also get a guaranteed blockbuster!” Tusshar tells t2 as he packs up. A sentiment echoed by Parineeti: “I want the Golmaal franchise to go on for many, many more films and I just hope and pray that Rohit Sir keeps casting me in all,” she smiles, fingers crossed.

So does that mean ‘Golmaal 5’ is already in the works? Hear it from Shetty man himself: “Jab tak audience Golmaal chalaate rahegi, main chhodunga nahin, banata hi rahoonga.”

Go, Golmaal!

Priyanka Roy
I love the Golmaal films because... Tell t2@abp.in