Thaindian News

March 23, 2010 (Sampurn Wire): By Politics, cinema, youth and youth icons Ranbir and Katrina just got closer. April would be a month of academics for Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif. Prakash Jha plans to take the Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani pair on a tour across the country to address students at hand-picked campuses on issues such as politics and cinema.

Says Prakash, “We’ve chosen eight cities and as many colleges. Yes, Ranbir and Katrina would be part of debates on politics and the youth as part of the whole endeavour to take Raajneeti beyond the portals of entertainment. Today’s political icon is no longer a 70-something veteran politician. It’s Rahul Gandhi and my stars will be addressing generations who understand the language of Rahul’s politics.”

Apparently, Prakash will be meeting Rahul and his mother Sonia Gandhi to dispel the prevalent notion that Raajneeti is based on their lives. He will then invite Rahul to join the debate with Ranbir and Katrina in Delhi University.

The 8 cities and the colleges therein where the hit jodi would have their say, along with the dates are being kept a secret to avoid security hazards. However, Ranbir-Katrina 8-city campus tours will be spread out across April and part of May.

Ranbir has already attended two global summits in Delhi and wants to speak extempore at the 8-city campus events. Katrina has begun to read up as much as as she can on current affairs and has lately been watching the news as closely as possible so that her role as a politician in Raajneeti would resonate in real life.

Interestingly, that’s the formula the pair adopts in their acting. While Katrina likes to rehearse and get it pitch-perfect Ranbir is more spontaneous. Says Prakash Jha, “Katrina has finished her dubbing whilst Ranbir hasn’t even started. He has been busy with various ad commitments after he finished shooting in the US for Anjaana Anjaani. But he’ll do the dubbing in no time at all.”

Ranbir and Katrina will be spending a lot of time together promoting Raajneeti in the coming months. The whole of April will be spent doing the campus interactions. From May 30th to June 6th Prakash Jha has planned premieres of Raajneeti all over the world including New York to London, Muscat, Bahrain, Delhi and Mumbai. When a friend pointed out to Katrina that the proximity to Ranbir for their film’s marketing would only lead to further speculation she shrugged and said, “He is a friend. And I won’t stop being friendly with or refuse to promote my film just because tongues are wagging.”

- Subhash K Jha / Sampurn Wire