Not A Nursery Rhyme

Box Office India (BOI): Congrats guys. The movie has only just released but people were intrigued by the trailer much earlier.

Maniesh Paul (MP): Touch wood, the response was good from the very beginning. Everybody liked the trailer when it came out. They found the name very intriguing. When they realised it was about contract killers, it became even more interesting for them. Maybe that is what got the audience excited and will get them to theatres.

Manjari Fadnnis (MF): The response has been fabulous ever since people got a wind of the movie. When I told people close to me that my next film was Baa Baaa Black Sheep, they were very excited and intrigued. They kept asking me, 'Yeh kaunsi movie hai? What is the story?' And this was before the film was even announced. After the trailer released, the response was very positive.

BOI: You said that everyone found the title Baa Baaa Black Sheep interesting. Why was it chosen and who came up with it?

MP: The film's director Vishwas Pandya came up with the idea. I am playing a guy called Baba. Most of the characters are a little grey, with their characteristics and antics. And this is because everybody is playing a dual character. The only one who is completely innocent is Manjari's character. Her role is very straight and doesn't have any shades of grey. She is the good girl in the film.

MF: Yes, that's true. I play Angelina Morris, Baba's girlfriend. She has a funny and quirky dad. He is an art teacher to the world but an undercover cheater. He sells fake paintings. He recreates famous paintings and sells them as if they were real. Angelina knows about this and tries really hard to get him to stop. She loves him but quarrels with him bitterly about this. Angelina and Baba are childhood sweethearts and are in love. But her dad, like every other father of a girl, hates her boyfriend. She has to keep balancing the equation between her dad and her boyfriend.

BOI: What was that one thing that made you say yes to the film?

MF: It was a combination of many things. First, it was the title that attracted me. Then, there was a one-liner which Maniesh can explain better than I can. That one-liner was so exciting and very out-of-the-box, very different. So I said yes, I definitely want to do this.

MP: What I found interesting was something Vishwas said. He told me this was the story of a guy whose father is a cashew dealer but it turns out that he is not a cashew dealer but a contract killer. His father tells him that their family has 12 generations of contract killers and he is the 13th generation to carry on this tradition.

At first, the storyline took me by surprise but, then, I wondered what would happen if my father, who is a chartered accountant, wakes up one day and tells me that he is not a CA but someone who kills people. I kept wondering what I would do and how I would react. I found this very intriguing and so, wanted to do this film. Obviously, there is the rest of the cast that I am very happy to share screen space with.

BOI: Did you find any connection with your characters?

MP: My character is very relaxed. He is casual and laidback. I can relate to that. Apart from that, no, I am not a contract killer like he is. (Laughs)

MF: That's for sure. Maniesh could not kill even an ant. (Laughs)

MP: Also, my father is not a cashew dealer. But, in all seriousness, it is quite a cool character. I loved playing it and loved shooting the transition that my character goes through.

BOI: What was it like working with veteran actors Anupam Kher and Annu Kapoor? What was the dynamic on set?

MP: It was hilarious. I was very nervous to shoot the first scene I had with Anupam Kher sir. Sure, I have shared the stage with him before, during award shows and the like, but this was different because this was a film. It was the first time I was acting with him.

I was very nervous but he made me very comfortable. He loves to rehearse, so he keeps guiding you. The best part was the timing between Anupam Kher sir and Annu Kapoor sir. It was so funny because they kept pulling each other's leg. Annu Kapoor sir would greet Anupam sir, saying, 'Sir, kaise hain, sir?' Then, after the shot was over, Annuji would ask Anupam sir, 'Sir, theek tha? Acha tha kya? Over toh nahi tha na, sir?' This banter would just crack me up. I kept wondering whether they were serious or just playing pranks on each other. But it was a lot of fun and we had a blast.

BOI: And what was the dynamic between the two of you?

MF: It was mad fun because Maniesh is mad! I have never laughed so much on any set before. Bahut maza aaya. Plus, we were in Goa, so it was like a fun vacation. We were all having a great time. We didn't even realise when the film was shot, start to finish.

BOI: Comedy is tough. What were the challenges to get the comic timing right, especially while working with experienced actors?

MF: Not for him!

MP: I don't deny that comedy is very difficult. I do a lot of comedy but our film does not only revolve around comedy. There are a lot of thrilling elements that are an important part of the film. It is not about the relationship between Baba and his father or the fun time Baba and Angelina have together. There is another track in the film led by Kay Kay Menon. Unke saath ek khcihdi pakti hai and how we solve it is one aspect of the film.

MF: It has a lovely plot. It is just not comedy or slapstick elements in the film. It has a very smart plot.

BOI: When it comes to comedy, our cinema usually focuses on the slapstick variety; filmmakers tend to not experiment in the dark comedy space. For example, Kalakaandi received a lot appreciation but didn't make good numbers at the box office. Why do you think films like these fail?

MP: I don't really know. Maybe the audience is not ready or open to such subjects. When something new arrives in the market, it takes a while to grow on the audience. I think it is a wonderful genre. People will eventually connect with it and grow to like it.

BOI: What projects are you looking forward to?

MP: I have a single releasing in April. After that, I have the Da-Bang Tour in the US. I have shot for another film whose post-production should be complete by the time I return from the US, so I will get on with that soon.

MF: I have one short film releasing. I am also doing lots of stuff in music. I am singing many covers and I also have my own single releasing.