Bol Bachchan cast in the UAE

The stars of a forthcoming movie inspired by a series of films made decades ago were in Dubai this weekend to promote what is expected to become a major summer blockbuster.

Dubai, June 30, 2012 -- (L to R) Prachi Desai, Asin Thottumkal, Abhishek Bachchan and Ajay Devgn, stars Bollywood movie Bol Bachchan appear at a press conference at Grand Hyatt in Dubai, June 30 2012. (Photo by: Sarah Dea/The National)Show less

After Golmaal, Golmaal Returns and Golmaal 3, the Golmaal saga continues for the director Rohit Shetty. This time, it's in the form of a film inspired by - but surprisingly, not even loosely based on - the 1979 original.

Directed by Shetty, Bol Bachchan, due for release on Thursday in the UAE, has its roots in the original Golmaal.

"My favourites are the films that were made in the 1960s and early 1970s," says director Shetty. "I'm a big fan of that era. I watched Golmaal and like so many other people, I loved it. In fact, I loved it so much that I wanted to take the basic idea of this film and make my own film. As the idea developed, it turned out to be a different film altogether. But the fact remains that we were inspired by the original Golmaal when we started out scripting Bol Bachchan, and even though we wrote an entirely new script, we still wanted to give credit where it was due and that's why we bought rights of Golmaal."

According to Shetty, Bol Bachchan does not pretend to be more than pure entertainment. "It's a family entertainer like all my films. It's the kind of film where you can come into the theatre and forget all your worries for those two and a half hours. It is one film that any Bollywood fan must go out and see. What makes it even more special is that it features some of India's biggest talent."

Sure enough, the actors Abhishek Bachchan and Ajay Devgn star alongside Asin Thottumkal and Prachi Desai. Shetty says, "I've been making films with big star casts for a long time now, so it was nothing new for me. But working with Amitabh Bachchan, who makes a cameo appearance, kept the director on his toes.

"It was great working with Big B. I was totally in awe, taking photographs with him during the shoot and everything. It was also a huge learning experience, seeing the hard work and dedication he puts in to whatever he is doing. There is something that you can learn from him every single day."

Devgn - who is also the co-producer of the film - agrees with Shetty. "I have worked a lot with Mr Bachchan and yet, every time I work with him, I get to learn something new."

For the relative newcomer Prachi Desai, working with Devgn and Bachchan junior was also a learning experience.

"This is the biggest film I have done till now," says Desai. "I'm thrilled to be working with this team. It was a fantastic experience, despite the pranks played by the boys on set!"

The second female lead Thottumkal seems to be belting out one comic role after the other. Is it her preferred genre?

"I do enjoy comedy," she explains. "But it's not like I have a special affinity for the genre. It just so happens that my last few releases back to back have been comedy. I'm not concentrating just on comedy intentionally, though. I enjoy acting in all kinds of genres."

Bol Bachchan is a formula romantic comedy. It's a mass film that features the typical Bollywood elements of larger-than-life sets and colourful costumes.

"We are Bollywood and that's what works," declares Devgn. "The colours, the dances, the entertainment. We celebrate in our own way and we dance a lot. If you want to see a very subtle film, you've got Hollywood. We can't compete with them, and we don't want to compete with them."

"I think our cinema is very unique and we wouldn't have it any other way," adds Bachchan. "My grandfather used to say that Indian films will never go out of style because they provide a balance. They provide entertainment. When people walk into a theatre ... they want to enjoy themselves for two, three hours. In Bollywood - like in real life - we're very celebratory. We love the pomp and the pageantry. We are what we are and that's why everyone loves us. We should be - and we are - immensely proud."

Bol Bachchan will open in UAE cinemas on Thursday