Nadiadwala plans a star-studded premiere for Kambakht Ishq

Filmmaker Sajid Nadiadwala, who has collaborated with Hollywood biggies Sylvester Stallone, Brandon Routh and Denise Richards for his forthcoming film "Kambakht Ishq", has invited them for a grand premiere of the film in India later this year. He hopes it will help wipe away the traumatic memories of the Mumbai terror strikes from the tourists' mind.

"It's a do or die thing for me after 26/11. I don't feel like a Bollywood producer at the moment. I'm reacting as an Indian," Nadiadwala told IANS.

Post-26/11, the premiere of the Akshay Kumar-Kareena Kapoor starrer has become a show of strength for Nadiadwala as an Indian more than a producer. Invitations have been sent out to Sylvester Stallone, Brandon Routh and Denise Richards.

"Let's just say I want my Hollywood team to come and erase 26/11 from Mumbai's tourist map. I'm going to leave no stone unturned to make sure Stallone and others go back with only the fondest memories of Mumbai.

"If six months ago I'd have laid out the red carpet for the Hollywood members of the cast, now I'm putting my entire production machinery and powers of hospitality on the block.

"The 'Kambhakt Ishq' premiere is not about our entertainment industry any more. It's about Mumbai and India. I want Hollywood to come to Mumbai and taste our hospitality. Nothing has changed in the country. We're still as warm and welcoming as we used to be," said Nadiadwala.

Over 20 foreigners were killed in the Mumbai terror strikes.

"'Kambhakt Ishq' is not just an exciting business venture after what happened to Mumbai in November. Suddenly all of us have become more sensitised. We need to prove a point to the world and to ourselves... I realise there's a black mark against Mumbai's name on the tourist map after 26/11. We will erase it. And to do that we need to invite the outside world to come to Mumbai and see that Mumbai is safe. I promise you, Stallone won't go back with any apprehensions about our city."

Stallone to attend India premiere of Kambakht Ishq

Producer Sajid Nadiadwala has hit it off so well with Sylvester Stallone while shooting for "Kambakht Ishq" that he has convinced the "Rocky" star to attend the premiere of the film here as well as to work together in more movies.

"Yes, Stallone will be coming to Mumbai for the premiere. In fact, we have hit it off so well that I've convinced him for more collaborations with us," Nadiadwala told IANS.

"However, it's too premature to talk about any concrete plans between the two of us. He did give me a book to read, but that doesn't mean I'm making a movie out of it, not yet."

The producer has huge plans for "Kambkaht Ishq". He plans to have an international release of the English version of the movie at the same time with the Hindi in April-May 2009.

"It'll be a much shorter version of the original. While the Hindi version will be around 130 minutes, the English version will be 90-100 minutes long and without any song."

Nadiadwala is working on the English version of "Kambakht Ishq". Though Akshay is all set to finally go international with his first English-language film, he won't be heard speaking in his own voice.

"I'll get dubbing artistes from outside India to dub for everyone, excluding Sylvester Stallone. Akshay certainly can't make himself comprehensible to American audiences in his own voice," said Nadiadwala from Vicenza in Italy, where the last portion of "Kambhakt Ishq" is being shot with Kareena, Akshay, Aftab Shivdasani and Amrita Arora.

To knock off the elaborate Hindi song sequences for the English version, Sajid is getting a creative music director from Hollywood as a consultant.

"We've zeroed in on three guys who specialise in editing Hollywood musicals including the gentleman who did 'The Wedding Singer'. I'll hire one of them to put together the English version of 'Kambhakt Ishq'. I don't want it to be seen as a dubbed Bollywood film. I want it to be on a par with the American releases, just as slick."

This is where the presence of Stallone, Denise Richards and "Entourage" star Holy Valencia would help.

"These stars would help bring in the American audience and establish a connect with the film. Like in India, most audiences won't care about Stallone and other Hollywood stars. They'll just go to watch Akshay."

Nadiadwala is hoping "Kambakht Ishq" would be the international launch of Akshay's career.

"He has it in him. And we've worked really hard to give 'Kambakht' an international look and feel. My film has gone way above budget. I don't think I'll ever be able to make a film so expensive. The ticket fare to Europe alone costs what was the entire budget of my first production."