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EXCLUSIVE: ‘Akshay Kumar wants to create a Bell Bottom franchise,’ say writers, Aseem Arrora & Parveez Shaikh
Bell Bottom writers, Aseem Arrora and Parveez Shaikh open up about the Akshay Kumar fronted espionage thriller and their idea of making real life thrillers without taking a jingoistic approach. Details
It has been a week since the release of the Akshay Kumar fronted, Bell Bottom, directed by Ranjit Tewari. We got in touch with the writers of the film, Aseem Arrora and Parveez Shaikh recently, who revealed that the team is indeed planning a sequel to Bell Bottom. “We have been discussing ideas to take it forward because Akshay sir is really fond of the film and wants to create a franchise of it,” says Aseem Arrora.
Speaking about the open ending of Bell Bottom, Aseem adds, “The ending was always a part of the film. It’s not a gimmick and the character layers are pronounced in every single scene of the film. This was organic. However, we are yet to crack a story and we are trying to do something. Let’s see if the things fall into place” Aseem informs that he got the idea of making Bell Bottom after reading about the incident in a certain book. “We read a lot about defense. There is an appetite for such stories because these are the people who never get the spotlight. As writers, we like to bring out unique stories.”
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Aseem and Parveez were clear on being subtle with their storytelling. “We were very particular on not taking the jingoistic route for Bell Bottom. We knew there would be a certain amount of skepticism and people might complain about the slow pace in the first half. But, just to give entertainment, we didn’t want to be lousy,” Aseem explains. Parveez reveals that it was Aseem, who introduced him to this incident. “I felt it’s something that has not been spoken about before and we should make a film on it. And that’s how it began,” says Parveez.
We were very particular on not taking the jingoistic route for Bell Bottom. We knew there would be a certain amount of skepticism and people might complain about the slow pace in the first half. But, just to give entertainment, we didn’t want to be lousy
Aseem Arrora
Both Aseem and Parveez are fascinated by real life stories. When asked if there is an overdose of films inspired by true events, Parveez answers, “Today, the audience likes stuff that is rooted in reality. There is a market for it, which is the reason why people are making it. Maybe, one day it will stop. But today, it's the flavor of the season.” Aseem adds, “We like to entertain, engage and educate the audience. Films need life beyond the 2 to 3 hour of watching experience. We want to impart a lesson without getting too preachy. For me, uniqueness is the key.”
The duo has written another espionage, the Sidharth Malhotra and Rashmika Mandanna fronted Mission Majnu. Opening up about the difference in approach to Bell Bottom and Mission Majnu, Parveez signs off, “The story dictates the world. Whatever is authentic to that period, we hand on to that. Mission Majnu is a different story, set in a different time zone.”
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