EXCLUSIVE: Vidya Balan’s father P R Balan makes a funny acting debut in Twinkle Khanna’s production Go Noni Go
Akshay Kumar, wife Twinkle Khanna and mother-in-law Dimple Kapadia made a rare appearance at the premiere of the film Go Noni Go at MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2024. It is based on the short story ‘Salaam Noni Appa’ written by Twinkle Khanna. She has also produced the film and stars Dimple Kapadia in the lead. Akshay graced the premiere to cheer for his family. The others present at the premiere were actors Manav Kaul and Rohan Mehra, director Sonal Dabral and fellow producers Sameer Nair, Atul Kasbekar and Tanuj Garg. A short Q-and-A session followed after the film screening.
Go Noni Go is unique for several reasons. To begin with, it features the voiceover of producer-director Karan Johar. He plays the sutradhar of the film and is also the voice of the car that Noni (Dimple Kapadia) drives in the film. The car, an old red-coloured Fiat, is interestingly named Basanti! And that’s not all. Vidya Balan’s father, P R Balan, makes his acting debut in this slice-of-life film.
Atul Kasbekar explained how they got him on board, “When the role was written for a certain Mr Banker, who’s the chairman of the MCP Co-operative Bank, I told the team, ‘The person we need should be someone like Vidya Balan’s father’. Tanuj and I talked about it and we decided to ask Vidya first about it.”
Atul continued, “We asked Vidya. There was a deafening stunned silence from the other end. Then, in an almost angry voice, she said, ‘Please don’t give such ridiculous ideas. Thank you very much’! She hung up!”
Atul Kasbekar then said, “That night, she called, sounding mildly apologetic. She said, ‘One moment, please’. The next person on the line is Mr Balan. He told me, ‘If you want me to act in a movie, you ask me. Why are you asking her?’!”
This is when the audience was informed that P R Balan was present in the audience. He stood up and the whole theatre clapped for his wonderful acting debut.
Director Sonal Dabral revealed, “The first time I met Mr Balan, he had memorized all the lines. I was absolutely amazed.”
P R Balan has been the Vice-President of ETC Channel and was once also the executive vice-president of Digicable.
Also Read: Go Noni Go premiere at MAMI 2024: Akshay Kumar, Twinkle Khanna, Dimple Kapadia make a RARE appearance together; Akshay raises laughs as he complains “meri biwi mujhe koni maar rahi thi…”