Raise money on Net, make movie

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal"><script language="javascript">doweshowbellyad=0; </script><br />All the talk of massive winds of change sweeping Bollywood flies in your face, when you hear about how director Rajat Kapoor struggled to find funds for a film, which is now the toast of international film festivals. <br /></div> <div align="left" style="position:relative; left: -2"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" align="left" border="1" width="27.0%"> <colgroup> <col width="100.0%" /> </colgroup> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <div class="Normal"><img src="/photo/728484.cms" alt="/photo/728484.cms" border="0" /></div> </td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <div class="Normal"><span style="" font-size:="">Still from the movie </span><span style="" font-size:="" font-style:="" italic="">Raghu Romeo</span></div> </td> </tr> </table></div> <div class="Normal"><span style="" font-size:="" font-weight:="" bold="">A graduate from Pune''s FTII, Kapoor is best known for his role as Preity Zinta''s uncle in </span><span style="" font-size:="" font-weight:="" bold="" font-style:="" italic="">Dil Chahta Hai</span><span style="" font-size:="" font-weight:="" bold="">.</span><br /><br /><span style="" font-size:="" font-weight:="" bold="">His quirky little film </span><span style="" font-size:="" font-weight:="" bold="" font-style:="" italic="">Raghu Romeo</span><span style="" font-size:="" font-weight:="" bold="">, which opens on June 18, has done the rounds of almost a dozen film festivals, from Locarno to Stockholm, gathering enthusiastic reviews all over. </span><br /><br /><span style="" font-size:="" font-weight:="" bold="">But the film''s real story began after Kapoor was through scripting it. </span><br /><br /><span style="" font-size:="" font-weight:="" bold="">"I went from idiot to idiot in Bollywood for three years to get funding. They all said it''s a great script, but how about Saif Ali Khan in the lead?" Kapoor recounts his struggle. </span><br /><br /><span style="" font-size:="" font-weight:="" bold="">Kapoor was decided on his cast – Vijay Raaz (</span><span style="" font-size:="" font-weight:="" bold="" font-style:="" italic="">Monsoon Wedding</span><span style="" font-size:="" font-weight:="" bold="">) and Saurabh Shukla (</span><span style="" font-size:="" font-weight:="" bold="" font-style:="" italic="">Satya''s </span><span style="" font-size:="" font-weight:="" bold="">‘Kallu Mama’) right from the beginning. For Raaz, who plays Raghu, a poor man in love with the image of a TV actress, this is the most substantial role after </span><span style="" font-size:="" font-weight:="" bold="" font-style:="" italic="">Monsoon Wedding</span><span style="" font-size:="" font-weight:="" bold="">. </span><br /><br /><span style="" font-size:="" font-weight:="" bold="">Kapoor''s search ended finally with the government run National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC), which provided fifty per cent funds. Even after chipping in with his savings, Kapoor still needed a couple of millions for the modestly-priced (Rs 1.2 crore) film. </span><br /><br /></div> </div><div class="section2"><div class="Normal">When he started emailing friends for help, <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Bombay Times </span>ran a cover story on him. After an internet site picked up the story, help started pouring in. Kapoor gave each contributor a promissory note guaranteeing return, irrespective of the status of the film. <br /><br />"It felt so good. A 22-year-old had saved 10,000 rupees, which she happily lent to me." <br /><br />It helped that Kapoor has been all over TV in commercials and several films. But, acting for him is just another means to raise funds for the real passion. <br /><br />Now that <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Raghu Romeo </span>is ready for release, its making might just make another interesting film. <br /><br /><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">Rajat Kapoor on why you should or should not watch his film: </span><br /><br />Don''t watch it because it''s been to 15 film festivals. <br /><br />Don''t watch it because the critics say it''s a good film. <br /><br />Watch it because your neighbour tells you she loved the film. <br /><br />Watch it because it will make you laugh.</div> </div>