'Band Baaja Baaraat' director Maneesh Sharma, who is turning producer with '90s love story 'Dum Laga Ke Haisha', says the Ayushmann Khurrana-Bhumi Pednekar starrer has its heart and soul in the right place.
"The biggest strength of 'Dum Laga Ke Haisha' is that it has been made with a lot of honesty. It is a charming love story of this mismatched couple -- a loser and his over-sized wife. The story has its heart and soul in the right place," Maneesh told PTI in an interview.
The Yash Raj Films' project has been written and directed by Sharat Kataria and hits theatres on February 27.
The 'Shuddh Desi Romance' director says Sharat's story has a very strong nostalgia attached to it.
"There was a reason to set the story in Haridwar and in the '90s when Kumar Sanu was one of the biggest musical stars. There is no one who is not familiar with that world. It has a great nostalgia attached to it and this is why people have responded so warmly to the trailers. It is a special film for all of us," he says.
Maneesh found actress Parineeti Chopra from YRF's marketing division and this time he found his leading lady from the casting department of the studio.
"Bhumi is the assistant of our casting director Shanoo Sharma. Bhumi has met every actor at the studio. When her name came up for Sandhya's role, Shanoo was very excited. She broke the news to her. But yes, it is quite a turnaround. She was looking to cast in the film and now she is playing the lead," he says.
The producer feels it is Ayushmann's best work so far.
"The actors today are very experimental. They don't want to stick to a particular image that has worked for them in the past. I think it is Ayushmann's finest performance.
