IN your mind, were you aiming for a spoof in Happy Ending? We won’t call that a spoof per se, but yes, the idea was that the movie doesn’t take itself seriously. This is the reason why the film is neither a spoof nor a drama. There is a bit of satirical humour also, like the kind where Govinda goes on to get a six-pack. It is little things like these that we worked on for Happy Ending.
How honest is Happy Ending to its genre? After all, it is making a statement on the clichés related to rom-coms and then presenting them back to the audience.
The idea was simple – do not present the film as a typical comedy. If you notice, the characters are very grounded and real. In principle, this is a light and frothy film which doesn’t take the dramatic route. It is not a love story either. So, it is not a “romedy” that Armaanji (Govinda) wants from Saif. We haven’t put in anything heavy.
Also, since personally we look at the lighter side of things, even in our film if Saif is sad, instead of going into the tanhai mode, he switches on to Paaji Tussi Such A Pussy Cat. That sets the tone for the film.
Saif has found some good reviews again for delivering what is expected of him. Was he just himself, or did you have to actually work on him?
Saif is an actor who would do anything if he bites into the character. Once he bought into the part that he was playing, he was fine with everything. Yes, in jest he would sometimes tell us: “Hey, what you are making me do?” But then immediately after he would exclaim: “Let’s go for it”. He isn’t someone who is self-conscious. Even in real life he is so candid and honest in his views. He is very articulate and being so well read helps, too. When he was asked to play his age, something which is a big deal for many other actors in our industry, he was game for it. – bollywoodhungama.com