Aiyyaa director readying to shoot next from January

After debuting with "Aiyyaa", Sachin Kundalkar is busy writing his second film and says it will go on the floors in January next year.

"I am writing two scripts and both of them are almost ready. Now I have to choose between the two scripts and put it on the floor."

"I have almost decided the star cast and I shall make an announcement by December. And if things will fall in place, then the film will go on the floors in the early 2013," he added.

His "Aiyyaa" was an unusual story of a Marathi girl, played by Rani Mukerji, who gets attracted to a guy because he smells in a particular way. However, the concept didn't go down well with audiences.

Asked which genre is he experimenting with this time round, Kundalkar said: "I don't believe in any genre. For me, a film is a film. I can't say what (genre) will be my next film, but in a month's time I will reveal it."

As far as critics' views on "Aiyyaa" are concerned, he has taken the negative reviews positively.

"The film has garnered a mixed response. As a filmmaker, you should have a heart to take all the criticisms as well. Some has given me extremely good reviews, while others have given extremely negative reviews. I know it is tough when people don't like your film, but as a filmmaker I take these things as a challenge. I take it positively," he said.

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I am saturated with the Bollywood's Punjabi culture

Director Sachin Kundalkar is a Maharashtrian and he wanted to bring his native flavour through "Aiyya" to Bollywood, which he feels has an overdose of Punjabi culture.

The film, starring Rani Mukerji, is loosely based on one of the stories of Kundalkar's acclaimed Marathi film "Gandha", which means fragrance.

"Anurag (producer Anurag Kasyhap) had liked that film and wanted to make a film based on smell. That was the starting point, but the story has completely changed for Hindi, " Kundalkar, who decided to set his story in a Maharasthrian family, said in a statement.

"I like Bollywood films but I am saturated with the Punjabi culture. I feel every regional sensibility has to be represented and in that respect, Mani Ratnam is my idol. He brought in the south sensibilities and since I am a Maharashtrian, I'm bringing in mine, " he added.

"Aiyya" is about a woman, who finds a man desirable because he smells good. Rani plays a Marathi girl, who falls in love with a south Indian boy, played by Malayalam actor Prithviraj.

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