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Movie No: 1

David Dhawan is arguably the biggest director in town -- not to mention the most successful.

The secret is simple -- he found himself a formula, and now sticks to it, churning out box office hits with machine-like regularity. Thus, news of a forthcoming Dhawan project has the turnstiles tingling in anticipation.

One such is the project he is now doing, for Ketan Desai -- a film that stars three sets of actors spanning the generations. There is Rishi Kapoor and Rati Agnihotri, Salman Khan and Amisha Patel, Rinkie Khanna and Sharad Kapoor.

"It is typical David Dhawan," says executive producer Prakash Pange. "But since it has three sets of actors, it will focus more on family drama and sentiment."

Rinkie Khanna, who debuted two years ago with Pyaar Mein Kabhi Kabhi, is the showpiece for this film, and is paired opposite Sharad Kapoor, who had a recent hit alongside Shah Rukh Khan with Josh.

"I am not doing too many films, because I don't think I want to do ten films at a time just for the hell of it," argues Rinkie who, unlike most star kids, has been extremely picky and choosy. "I prefer doing roles I am comfortable with."

What she doesn't prefer, is being referred to as a star kid. "I have never expected my star parents to help me out," she says firmly. "That is why I don't consider myself a 'star kid' -- I have led a very independent life, accepted films and charted my career the way I want."

Rinkie, who confesses to a fondness for theatre, does not want to go into the specifics of her role in the upcoming film. "There is a good role in it for me," is all she will say. "I wouldn't say it has depth, but it is definitely not the usual run-around-the-trees kind of role either. I also found that the set up was good, which is why I accepted the role."

Meanwhile, the fact that the ever-reliable Dhawan came a rare cropper recently with Chal Mere Bhai doesn't face Ketan Desai one bit. Prakash Pange for his part points out that "Everyone makes mistakes, everyone is entitled to a bit of bad luck. But that does not mean that David Dhawan is down and out. Sure, his last film bombed, but that is no big deal, not all his films can be hits. We are sure that this one, which he is doing for us, is definitely a David Dhawan-type film, and it should do well."

Desai and Pange have one good reason for being sanguine -- it was David Dhawan who gave him his biggest hit, with Deewana Mastana. Desai, meanwhile, is yet to give a title to his latest film, but Pange says that lack will be supplied soon.

Sharad Kapoor, meanwhile, is riding high after Josh. The man who debuted as a psycho who is completely obsessed with Miss Universe, in Dastak, has been trying to shrug off the spate of negative roles he got in the aftermath of that first film, and look for more positive roles. Here, he is paired opposite Rinkie, and will be looking to the film to give his positive image a fillip.

Ketan Desai hasn't yet titled the film, but Pange assures it will be done soon. Meanwhile, the film is already on the floors, unlike Desai's last film, which had Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt leading the cast, and which got shelved. "That was a two-hero project, which didn't go through for reasons we won't, at this point, talk about. With this one, though, we anticipate no problems, we have started shooting and are looking to complete it either by year-end, or early next year."

Which, given the track record of this pair, is the kind of news that should set the turnstiles tingling...