This Article is From Aug 24, 2010

Can Cricket salvage Nikhil Advani's career?

Can Cricket salvage Nikhil Advani's career?

Highlights

  • After the success of Kal Ho Naa Ho followed by two commercial disasters, Nikhil Advani is now banking on the popularity of cricket to revive his filmmaking career.

  • His new movie Patiala House, is the story of a cricketer and his relationship with his father.

  • Patiala House starring Akshay Kumar and Anushka Sharma is about a second-generation Sikh in London, who gives
  • up his dream to become a cricketer to please his father until he meets a girl who reignites his passion for the sport.
New Delhi: After the success of Kal Ho Naa Ho followed by two commercial disasters, Nikhil Advani is now banking on the popularity of cricket to revive his filmmaking career.

His new movie Patiala House, is the story of a cricketer and his relationship with his father.

Patiala House starring Akshay Kumar and Anushka Sharma is about a second-generation Sikh in London, who givesup his dream to become a cricketer to please his father until he meets a girl who reignites his passion for the sport.

"The story is about a father-son relationship and how the son's dreams are suppressed because of the reservationshis father had after facing racial discrimination during the Southall riots in the 1980s.

"Then a girl enters his life and motivates him to follow his dream which is cricket," Anushka, who plays thelead actress in the movie told PTI.

The movie features a host of former cricketers like Kamran Akmal, Nasser Hussain, Graham Gooch, Ian Botham andDavid Gower alongside the evergreen romantic couple of Dimple Kapadia and Rishi Kapoor.

Lagaan set in the Victorian period starring Aamir Khan had successfully used India's most popular game as thebackdrop, highlighting the oppression of farmers in British Raj.

Advani made his directorial debut with Kal Ho Naa Ho in 2003 and shot to fame but his last two venturesSalaam-e-Ishq: A Tribute To Love and Chandni Chowk To China failed to click at the box office.

Akshay too will be hoping for the success of Patiala House as his last few releases have not gone down too wellwith the audiences.

Talking about working with Akshay, the 22-year-old model-turned-actress said, "You have lot of fun working withAkshay but at the same time he is a very professional actor which is something I have really admired".

Anushka made her debut opposite Shah Rukh Khan in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi and then went on to star in BadmaashCompany as a feisty urban girl opposite Shahid Kapoor.

Ask Anuskha about her favourite star and pat comes the reply, "SRK". "When Rab Ne.. released we had a grand party and I remember telling Shah Rukh that it's my first film but you are already my favourite co-star.

He said, 'You do films with me only'. He is a lovely guy to work with. Shahid is closer to my age. It was good fun to work with him as well," she said.

On her dream role Anushka, who was in the capital to walk the ramp at the ongoing Seagram's Blenders Pride FashionTour for designer Surily Goel said, "If Dil Se is ever remade I would love to play the role of Manisha Koirala in it."

.