Never called Total Dhamaal trash, says Tigmanshu Dhulia

Known for his dark tales of betrayal and treachery, director Tigmanshu Dhulia is in a happy space right now. But, reports stating that the director referred to Indra Kumar’s comedy Total Dhamaal as ‘trashy’ have apparently incensed the big guns and Devgn of the entertainment industry.

According to Tigmanshu, he has been misquoted. “I haven’t seen Total Dhamaal so how can I comment on it? I had seen Indra Kumar’s Dhamaal years ago and was using that as a reference point for lowbrow comedies which do not pretend to be anything else. There was a tradition of such comedies in Marathi and Hindi when Dada Kondke gave us unabashed lowbrow comedies with suggestive titles like Andheri Raat Mein Diya Tere Haath Mein. They were hugely successful. But, I can’t make such films. I don’t know how  to.”

Total Dhamaal

“My new film Milan Talkies is not a dark film. I think it’s my funniest film to date. It is a story that was with me for years. I am glad it is finally ready to go out there,” says the relieved director whose last film Saheb, Biwi Aur Gangster 3 sank without a trace. Talking about which, Tigmanshu says, “We went wrong with that one. But, part four of the Saheb Bibi Gangster saga is very much on the anvil. The ‘Sahib’ and ‘Bibi’ would be played by the same actors (Jimmy Sheirgil and Mahi Gill). The ‘Gangster’ would change.”

But, at present, Tigmanshu has his head wrapped completely around Milan Talkies. He raves about his lead pair and describes the leading lady Shraddha Srinath as a prized find. “She is beautiful and speaks fluent Hindi in spite of being from the South. She has done some South films earlier but I feel she will be a big success in Hindi cinema.”

As for Ali Fazal, “We had approached a couple of other actors (Shahid Kapoor, Imran Khan) but finally, it was Ali. He is a pitch-perfect as a small-town film buff.”

Tigmanshu Dhulia’s Milan Talkies also features Ashutosh Rana is a prominent role and is to set to release on March 15.