Mid-Day

Mumbai, Aug 30: Mallika Sherawat and Govind Menon did three films together - Khwahish, Kis Kis Ki Kismat and Bach Ke Rehna Re Baba and before they had a fall-out.

Sherawat has moved on to bigger and better films and makers, while Menon went out of sight and out of mind. Now, he's resurfaced and says he's in the process of finalising the scripts of three films. No Malli won't star in any of them.

No Mallika for now

Commenting on the Mallika's absence in his forthcoming project, he says, "The next film that I will be directing - From Hell To Texas, won't have Mallika in it. I want to reinvent myself and do something different. The type of films I'm working on doesn't require Mallika's presence. It's important to work with different people as a filmmaker. Mallika is moving on to bigger films while I am looking towards realistic and international cinema."

Although he denies a fall-out with his ex-muse, he adds, "There's no fallout with Mallika. We're still good friends and keep in touch. I have tremendous faith in her as an actress.

I've enjoyed working with Mallika and feel she is hugely underrated."
International dreams

Talking about his movie plans Menon says, "I've tied up with LA-based production company, Conquistador Films, to direct three films which we want to launch early next year. I'm currently in the process of finalising the scripts. From Hell To Texas is an English film about an Afghani woman who takes on her best friend's identity and travels to USA and gets embroiled in a bigger mess.

The character in From Hell To Texas is an Asian girl, so I might cast a Latin-American actress. The second film is an action adventure set in Sikkim and the Himalayas and has been scripted by Texan writer, Alex Kilgore, who has written Broadway plays. The third film will be shot in USA."

Cool about ex

So where had Menon been? After Kis Kis Ki Kismet and Bach Ke Rehna Re Govind had disappeared for two years. "It was a deliberate decision. I wanted to take some time off as I wasn't happy with the way my work was going so I went to the USA."

Will the films have hot scenes? "My approach to films is that when there is a man-woman relationship it has to be shown in a realistic manner. If that includes showing sex, why not?

These days, even Yash Chopra and Karan Johar are making films, which have suggestive sex scenes - the one between Shah Rukh and Rani in KANK. It's a healthy trend as we are coming out more into the open. My films will be more graphic than what it used to be 10 years ago.

The problem in India today is that when new directors with small budget make films they are called sleazy but with the big budget filmmakers, it is not. We need to be cool about these things."

No living in

The grapevine suggest Menon is living in with Mallika Sherawat at her suburban flat. Govind says, "It is the most absurd thing I have ever heard! I thought Mallika was having an affair with John Abraham. I was staying in New York for the last seven months and have just returned. I have been married a long time - 10 years. If my family in USA hears about this, they will be traumatised. It's very upsetting to hear things like this..."