Bobby Deol-Sammir Dattani's strange bonding!

By Subhash K. Jha, Bollywood Hungama News Network

There're more similarities to the two releases this Friday than what meets the eye. Kabeer Kaushik's Chamku and Mani Shankar's Mukhbiir are thematically similar. Both trace the ups and downs in the life of the orphaned protagonist who works for various terrorist and government organizations and come to a stage in life when he no longer knows who he is, or cares.

Says Bobby, "Is Mukbiir really similar to Chamku? I don't know. In my film, I go from a boy in Bihar to a migrant in Mumbai. I don't know what the story of Mukhbiir is." However, the similarities between the two films are more than skin-deep. Both explore the genesis and psychology of terrorism and how closely it is linked to the Establishment's official network. Interestingly, the two film's leading men Bobby Deol and Sammir Dattani share more than just similar films on the same Friday. They also share the same birth date.

Says Sammir, "Bobby and I were born on January 27. I've met him. He seems to be as laidback, hassle-free, and positive in attitude as me. We've another factor in common. Director Vikram Bhatt who's very close to Bobby and whom I grew close to while doing Life Mein Kabhi Kabhi. Coincidentally Vikram too shares our birthday."

About the similarities between Mukhbiir and Chamku, Sammir says, "There might be some resemblance in theme. And in both I think the protagonist is part of government-sponsored and illegal organizations. But finally every director has his own vision. I think the way Kabeer Kaushik will tell Bobby's story will be very different from the way Mani Shankar has told my character's story."

"For that matter," adds Sammir. "Both Mumbai Meri Jaan and A Wednesday which are being released within two weeks, have the July 11 Mumbai train blasts as their backdrop. But they're very different films."

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