Subhash K Jha (DNA; September 27, 2015)
Everyone familiar with Kapil Sharma’s Comedy Nights knows about his crazy infatuation with Deepika Padukone. Kapil’s colleagues from Comedy Nights giggle about how Ranveer Singh is pissed with Kapil who carries his Deepika torch to unbearable heights of glorification. Sources reveal Kapil was keen that Deepika and no other leading lady play his love interest in his debut film Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon. But Deepika was busy with Bajirao Mastani and Tamasha. “Directors Abbas-Mastan who had worked with Deepika in Race 2 and shared a cordial rapport with her, did approach her. But she declined. More than her schedules, the role hardly justified Deepika’s presence. There are four girls with Kapil in the film. Kapil wanted Deepika to play his girlfriend. So they signed on Elli Avram for Kapil’s girlfriend’s role.” But here’s the catch. Elli has been named Deepika in the film. “That’s Kapil’s way of incorporating his favourite actress into his debut film. Kapil has told us he had to have Deepika in his first film. She’s not there in person. But very much present in spirit,” says a friend of Kapil.