Akshay Kumar, along with his wife Twinkle Khanna and mother-in-law Dimple Kapadia, made a rare appearance at the premiere of Go Noni Go during the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2024. This film, based on Twinkle Khanna’s short story ‘Salaam Noni Appa,’ features Dimple Kapadia in the lead role, with Twinkle serving as the producer. Akshay attended the premiere to show his support for his family, joining a lineup that included actors Manav Kaul and Rohan Mehra, director Sonal Dabral, and fellow producers Sameer Nair, Atul Kasbekar, and Tanuj Garg.
After the screening, a brief Q&A session unfolded, during which the audience learned that P R Balan was present. As he stood up, the entire theater erupted in applause for his remarkable acting debut. Director Sonal Dabral shared, “The first time I met Mr. Balan, he had memorized all the lines. I was absolutely amazed.”P R Balan, who has previously served as Vice-President of ETC Channel and was once the executive vice-president of Digicable, adds another layer of intrigue to this unique film.
Go Noni Go stands out for several reasons, not least of which is the voiceover by producer-director Karan Johar, who acts as the sutradhar of the story and also provides the voice for the car driven by Noni (Dimple Kapadia). This charming old red Fiat is affectionately named Basanti! Additionally, Vidya Balan’s father, P R Balan, makes his acting debut in this slice-of-life narrative.Atul Kasbekar explained how they brought him on board, stating, “When the role was originally written for Mr. Banker, the chairman of the MCP Co-operative Bank, I thought we needed someone like Vidya Balan’s father.
Tanuj and I decided to consult Vidya first.”He continued, “When we approached her, there was a moment of stunned silence on the line. Then, in a slightly irritated tone, she said, ‘Please don’t give me such ridiculous ideas. Thank you very much!’ and hung up!”Later that evening, Atul received a call from Vidya, who sounded somewhat apologetic. “One moment, please,” she said, before handing the phone to Mr. Balan. He replied, “If you want me to act in a movie, just ask me. Why are you asking her?” This charming anecdote added a delightful touch to the evening, showcasing the film’s engaging spirit.
