"Karan and I've always backed the young talents" - Ekta Kapoor

Digest this! Ekta Kapoor is holidaying in Thailand and shaking in her chair watching a movie in 4D. It's Mission Impossible. Now, out here in misty Mumbai, the Indian Film Fraternity has literally not stopped shaking since yesterday over the biggest news of 2011 that read - 'Karan Johar and Ekta Kapoor are coming together in 2012 to produce a love story with a twist'. Then there's still The Dirty Picture pushing its way and inching closer to a Rs.90 crore mark. But that one question everyone's been asking since a couple of years is - What's going on? What does Balaji Motion Pictures do that's so extraordinary? So after talking to Ekta this morning, I've come to know that the extraordinary thing isn't the movies that she makes, it's the people that she collaborates with. Welcome aboard Dharma Productions and Karan Johar. Together, they've announced their first maiden venture for the big screen - an untitled movie written by Althea Kaushal, directed by debutant Akshay Roy and backed by two creative heads that are making a lot of heads spin since the last twenty four hours. Come to think of it, their biggest competition will be this question - Can they make a love story that pushes the envelope? Hell yes! Currently in the scripting stage, Ekta and Karan have always believed in giving creative ownership to their team and believe it or not, that same possession will bring about the revolution once this biggie hits the big screen. And no matter what the world says, the duo are here to shake things up big time because they share in common the belief that they don't make movies to make money, they make money to make movies.

UK's Harrow Observer columnist and Bollywood Hungama's London correspondent dials all the way to Thailand and talks to India's prized possession who is just not holidaying but thinking every second of her time - How do I get time from the busiest people in the world and entertain them? For a woman who has made a living fostering creativity talks about pushing teams beyond their comfort zone, encouraging rebellious new talents, building morale and her favourite love stories. Ekta, it's your turn now!

"The Dirty Picture has surpassed beyond my expectations"
I'm really hoping that The Dirty Picture reaches the three figure mark. The movie has surpassed way beyond my expectations. But let me tell you, the movie that Karan and I have announced yesterday has been in the talks before The Dirty Picture had released. We were jamming for sometime over this thing and I know the expectations have gone overboard because two very interesting companies have joined hands.
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Karan has got that slice of life in his movies that are filled with love in abundance. So hopefully the combination will work"
The movie is smart and will be an interestingly shot film with debutant director Akshay Roy in the hot seat. I was so charged about this movie when Karan and I discussed this. It's a very content driven film. The few things I've done in our movies are edgy, bold and innovative and Karan has got that slice of life in his movies that are filled with love in abundance. So hopefully the combination will work.

"We never want our movies to buckle under the pressure of expectations. We make movies that we like"
There is no success formula in Balaji Motion Pictures office. I've never believed that there is a success formula to make movies. We first make sure what we want to make and the rest is history. We never want our movies to buckle under the pressure of expectations and over the top enthusiasm. It'll never happen that one day you'll make a movie that everyone will like. If it happens, it's great. But we make movies that we like and will keep doing that all my life.

"I believe romance is always edgy"
I did the most edgy and innovative love story quite a few years ago on the television called Kasautii. It was a cursed love story. But yet it was an identifiable emotion and an understandable one. Love cannot be self-explanatory for everyone to understand sometimes. I believe that romance is always edgy.

"My favourite love story is Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and that's why I went to Karan Johar"
Honestly, my favourite love story is Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and that's why I went to Karan Johar to talk about this love story that we are making. In the history of love stories this is my favourite and then not far behind is Maine Pyaar Kiya along with Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna. KANK was a very bold and a brave attempt by Karan back then and sometimes the uncomforting works better in love stories.

"Karan and I've always backed the young talents. See how many good directors he has launched"
Akshay Roy is a young boy and very hardworking. Karan and I've always backed the young talents. See how many good directors he has launched. We got to give someone a chance to prove his mantle and Akshay is hell bent on proving just that through this film.

"Althea Kaushal and Akshay Roy are great finds"
No casting will ever start for me till the entire script is locked and ready. Althea Kaushal is writing this movie of ours. Both Althea and Akshay are great finds. It's easy to call the cast and tell them to come on board. The kind of attitude, styling and mannerisms for characters will only be visible if the movie's written in its entirety. That's when we know whom to approach for the movie. We will never know the nuances till the characters are ready and that's when our actors will be ready too.