Raj Kumar Santoshi’s Ajab Prem Ki Gazab Kahani soon

Raj Kumar Santoshi will be back after what seems like a long hiatus, with Ajab Prem Ki Gazab Kahani starring Katrina Kaif and Ranbir Kapoor.

Photo: Katrina Kaif and Ranbir Kapoor in Ajab Prem Ki Gazab Kahani

The movie, which is in post-production right now, will be released in August 2009. Ajab Prem Ki Gazab Kahani also stars Upen Patel, Darshan Jariwala, Govind Namdeo, Smita Jaykar, Navneet Nishan, Zakir Hussain, Jagdeep, and Salman Khan in a guest appearance.

Raj Kumar Santoshi has described the movie as a light romantic comedy. He has co-written the movie with R.D. Tailang.

A light rom com from Santoshi should be good. Andaz Apna Apna, which he directed in 1994, was a hilarious comedy and, probably, one of his best movies. Santoshi has a caustic wit that shines through even in his most serious movies.

Though he is known to pick socially relevant subjects, Raj Kumar Santoshi has never been able to do complete justice to them.

Admittedly, his movies and very honest and have strong moral and social messages, be it Damini (which was very very pretty good) or Lajja.

But, he ends up diluting the movies with the usual song-and-dance routines or simply getting carried away with the dramatic potential. As a result, his movies end up having a dated feel, despite tight screenplays.

His last movie Halla Bol that was released in 2008 was a total disaster.

Santoshi usually works with the same actors, be it Sunny Deol or Ajay Devgan.

Working with a young turk like Ranbir Kapoor is a first for him.

Perhaps, with Ajab Prem Ki Gazab Kahani he will reinvent himself in other ways as well. All he has to do is cut the drama, and he will be home safe and dry.

Ajab Prem Ki Gazab Kahani will be Ranbir Kapoor’s third film. His first Saawariya was a washout but his second Bachna Ae Haseeno was a hit.

Ranbir Kapoor will also be seen in Wake Up Sid (2009), with Konkona Sen Sharma, and Prakash Jha’s Rajniti (2010).

Katrina Kaif is now an A-list actress despite her poor histrionic abilities, with back-to-back hits, like Namastey London, Partner, Welcome, Race, and Singh is Kinng, to her credit.

She will appear in Blue and New York, in 2009, and in Rajniti in 2010.