"It was Konkona all the way for The President Is Coming" - Kunaal Roy Kapoor

By Joginder Tuteja, Bollywood Hungama News Network

Come 28th November and debutant director Kunaal Roy Kapur would see the arrival of The President Is Coming, an English language film which is a Rohan Sippy production. Incidentally, the film features practically the same case as the play by the same name which Kunaal has directed. Though Konkona Sen Sharma and Shernaz Patel have been roped in as the faces from the world of Hindi films, rest of the case mainly is straight out of the play.

"There was no need to replace any actor in The President Is Coming since each of them are extremely talented and gifted. I thought that when I had actors who were handpicked for theater and entirely suited the part, why even think of replacing them in the film", says Kunaal.

How did Konkona and Shernaz fit into the project in that case? "This was required from the marketability point of view. Moreover, Konkona and Shernaz being talented is hardly breaking news and hence they were roped in even as they replaced a couple of actors who were seen in the play", says Kunaal in a matter of fact tone.

But was Konkona really the first choice for the film? Wasn't someone else even considered for the role? "No, not at all. It was Konkona all the way and there was absolutely no thought around getting anyone else for the role", Kunaal says with a straight face.

Fondly remembering his experience of working with Konkona, Kunaal says, "When Rohan (Sippy) got Konkona on board, I was very excited. We invited her for the reading session of the film and gave her the script. She was laughing throughout and really seemed to be enjoying the film. She was sure that she wanted to be a part of The President Is Coming and understood that we were a crazy bunch of people at work."

The President Is Coming tells the story of a bunch of Indian youngsters who compete with each other to have a handshake with the President. Written by Anuvab Pal who is also behind The Loins Of Punjab Presents, The President Is Coming stars Namit Das, Ira Dubey, Vivek Gomber, Satchit Puranik, Imran Rasheed, Shivani Tanksale and Anand Tiwari apart from Konkona Sen and Shernaz Patel.

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