(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Considered the marketing guru of Bollywood, the trailer of Shah Rukh Khan's much awaited film, "Dilwale" was released on Monday in a 'unique' way.
Touted as an industry first, King Khan and his team came up with an innovative marketing strategy to release the trailer of 'Dilwale' - where the primary cast of the film held a simultaneous video press conference with the media in Dubai, Berlin and London, New York and Toronto.
The trailer was launched in Mumbai amidst fans and media. Director Rohit Shetty was present at the launch along with the cast of the film - Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Varun Dhawan, Kriti Sanon, Varun Sharma, comedian Johnny Lever, Boman Irani and Sanjay Mishra.
Given the director's love for cars, as evident in almost all his films, the event saw the cast display a host of modified designer cars, a concept integral to the film's story.
While the press waited across the world in select cities, the event began with the cast arriving on the red carpet in renowned 'car enthusiast and auto style guru' Dilip Chabbria's (DC) designer cars. The trailer was unveiled to the media and fans across India, online.
The trailer
'Dilwale' will see one of Bollywood's most loved on-screen couples, Kajol and SRK, after nearly five years when they last worked together in the critically acclaimed hit 'My Name Is Khan'. (Even best-selling Brazilian author Paulo Coelho was raving about it after he saw it recently!)
A romantic action thriller, the over three minute long action packed and dramatic trailer starts off with the King of Romance himself, standing atop of what seems to be a CGI of an abandoned plane wreckage in the middle of nowhere, with his arms wide open in his trademark pose, followed by him and Kajol running towards each other over a lake - while a mandolin plays in the background and with SRK narrating the following just before the sequence ends: 'Dil to har kisi ke paas hota hai.lekin sab Dilwale nahi hotay" (Everyone has a heart.but not everyone has a heart that loves)
Going by the grease laden faces of the actors in the film's poster and what Shah Rukh Khan said about his role at the trailer launch, he and Varun are into the car modifications business, which explains why the trailer quickly cuts to Shetty's trademark scene - where the hero (Varun Dhawan) makes his entry on top of a red Monster Truck being led by a convoy of sports and 'muscle cars'.
Kriti Sanon looks very chic in a short blue denim skirt and floral print jacket, over brown boots.
Pritam's peppy rhythmic soundtrack is very catchy and sets the pace for the first half of trailer as Shetty gives us a sneak peak of the beautiful locations in Bulgaria and Iceland, were the film was shot.
Staying true to his genre, Shetty's Dilwale is action-packed, high on drama and comedy - replete with cars flying exploding cars (is that a 'flying Rolls Royce'?!) , a macho scruffy gun-toting Shah Rukh Khan, the hopelessly in love couple Varun and Kriti, and an ageless elegant Kajol - of course in long 'flowy' saris and gowns.
The trailer had raked up 1.4 million views overnight.
'Why not Kajol?'
So how did one of India's most loved directors, Shetty, manage to reunite the couple again? The director says he hadn't planned it that way as he had simply suggested the basic idea of Dilwale to SRK after Chennai Express' release, expressing his desire to work with him again, after which he then began developing the story around the idea.
In pictures: Sneak Peek: SRK, Kajol on the sets of Dilwale
"In the process of writing the film.when narrated the whole idea, Shah bhai said why not Kajol? - and that's how we narrated the script to her - after which as they say the rest is history."
Answering a question about what more to expect from the film besides Kajol-SRK's legendary on-screen chemistry and Shetty's fascination with car crashes, the superstar replied that since the film is releasing around Christmas, it's a fun-filled family entertainer starring some of the finest actors in India.
"I once asked Rohit, who does he make films for and he replied 'for children' - the most innocent audience. Dilwale is an entertaining film for the family with a lot of drama and comedy. Rohit has made the film with a lot of love."
'Not a sequel to Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayengey'
From the time the film was first announced and until recently, the film was thought to be a sequel to the 90s Kajol-SRK starrer blockbuster, DDLJ, a rumor SRK and the director have continuously negated as it's NOT as SRK again reiterated during the press conference.
"It's not a sequel to DDLJ.there is a misconception.it's not not not a sequel to DDLJ."
Making light of the recent controversy surrounding his comments on intolerance in India, Shah Rukh further clarified the sequel rumors, "I can't be any more clearer than this that Dilwale is NOT a sequel to DDLJ and even if anyone misinterprets me again - I am not going to 'tolerate' it.
'Script by script...!'
After two decades of romancing each other on-screen, Kajol and SRK were clearly stumped when asked on how they have kept the romance alive?
The effervescent and blunt Kajol - after some thought - quipped,"script by script.film by film!"
"We have never been taken in by the myth of Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol as the 'greatest romantic couple'. We are the most normal of friends and just enjoy ourselves - we have never tried to figure out why and how it works. If you don't know how it works and you don't try to fix it, that's cool. We are just very happy to be together having lunch or making films," Shah Rukh Khan added.
King Khan also showered praise on his friend and co-star by saying that it was always a pleasure to work with actors who better your work and Kajol is one of them.
"We both are so easy with each other and she can tell me if she doesn't like something.and then you listen to her because she's very earnest and truthful. She believes in feelings, and so it's very nice to have someone as honest as Kajol next you as it makes your work better.
Apparently, Kajol's husband, actor Ajay Dvgun had visited Bulgaria while his wife was shooting there, and met with SRK, triggering reports that the duo has ended their rumoured rivalry.
Dvgun and Rohit Shetty have enjoyed a superhit partnership in the past with the Golmaal and Singham series.
What it feels to be 50?
As one of India's most loved and celebrated actor turned 50 earlier this month, we asked whether SRK felt younger by the year - after serving nearly 25 years [as a romantic hero] in the film industry?
"Very very sexy and very very young," was the witty King Khan's reply.
'Blockbuster setup'
Commenting on doing a 'frothy fun' film like Dilwale after having done Badlapur, one of India's young heartthrobs Varun Dhawan said, "It a typical Rohit Shetty film and my father [David Dhawan] is a fan of his films. The experience of working in such a blockbuster setup, working with huge stars like SRK and Kajol, as an actor I try and forget all that..at this stage you don't get conscious about yourself.
"I have made mistakes and Shah Rukh sir, in a very sweet way has given me tips on doing a scene in a certain way. So all my acting [in the film] is thanks to Rohit sir, the scriptwriters and the help that Shah Rukh sir has given me on the sets.
"Never did I expect to do Rohit Shetty film with SRK and Kajol ma'am.to work with them is something no one in my generation [of actors] has done."
Locations
Answering a question on where the movie was shot, the ever witty Shah Rukh could not help but poke fun at some of the difficult to pronounces names of places in Iceland, where the movie was shot.
"No one in the history of mankind can pronounce the name of a volcano there!"
The actor, whose production house Red Chillies Entertainment, is also producing the film, added that the film has been shot in Iceland, Bulgaria, Mumbai, Goa and Hyderabad.
"We actually shot standing over the glaciers," Kajol was quick to add.
Budget for car-explosions?
On being asked whether was there a separate budget for 'blowing up cars' in the film, a Rohit Shetty trademark in all films , the generous producer SRK replied: "Rohit does not stop me from saris blowing in the wind, and I don't stop him from blowing up cars.
"Red Chillies, I and everyone part of the film are fortunate that Rohit has a vision where if a production company can live up to provide things, he will go far beyond to what he narrates. The film is way beyond then what we expected..it is extremely fantastic, so there is no budget as such. As a matter of fact Rohit kept telling me not to spend so much money as we need to watch the budget.but we will still blow up the cars."
The wait was worth it: Kriti Sanon
After making her successful Bollywood debut along with Tiger Shroff in 'Heropanti,' the young actress of Dilwale said she felt blessed to get such an opportunity so early in her career and that too in her second film.
"The films that you choose make your career graph and the wait [after Heropanti] was worth it. I can't wait for the film to release. It's been a great learning experience and I hope our efforts pay off upon the release of the film."
'Dilwale' is being produced by Shah Rukh and Gauri Khan's Red Chillies Entertainment along with Rohit Shetty Productions. The film stars Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Varun Dhawan, Kriti Sanon, Varun Sharma, comedian Johnny Lever, Boman Irani and Sanjay Mishra among others.
Can Rohit Shetty continue his successful streak with Dilwale and deliver another hit with King Khan? Find out as the film releases on December 17 in UAE and on 18 across India.
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