1 April, 2006
Mumbai, Juhu – Krishna Villa
Krishna and Manoj were playing Mario on the TV when Manoj's phone suddenly rang.
Manoj looked at the screen and said excitedly,
"Krishna, this call is from Mukta Arts Production House. They want you as the male lead in their new film. I spoke to them briefly and wanted to inform you first."
After Manoj left, Krishna sat quietly. After finishing 36 China Town, many offers had come his way. Because of his outsider tag, several studios wanted to cast him as their hero, but Krishna ignored most of them.
He had seen many young rising stars sign multiple movie contracts after one or two successful films. Later, due to poor script selection, their movies flopped, and their careers suffered. Krishna believed in careful choices. He preferred signing only one or two films a year, never more than four or five years in advance.
36 China Town had not yet been released. Earlier that day, the director had called him and informed him that the film would release on 5 May. No major film was scheduled for release that week, so there would be no big clash.
Krishna switched off the game, turned on the TV, and started watching Bollywood news while sitting on the sofa and eating his food.
A female reporter said,
"Bollywood's renowned director Sanjay Leela Bhansali has started shooting his new film with two star kids, Ranbir Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor. Bhansali says Ranbir will definitely become a big star in the future because of his acting skills and dialogue delivery."
The next news followed,
"Shah Rukh Khan's upcoming film Om Shanti Om, directed by Farah Khan, has also started shooting. The film is related to the Bollywood industry and is expected to release around the same time as Saawariya."
Krishna watched quietly. He already knew that both films would release in the same week in the future. He also knew that Saawariya would fail due to its weak storytelling and limited audience appeal. Krishna didn't think much about it and completed his daily routine.
That evening, Manoj returned home and handed Krishna a script.
"Mukta Arts sent this," Manoj said. "The movie title is Apna Sapna Money Money."
Krishna smiled. He already knew about this film.
Script Details
Apna Sapna Money Money is a 2006 Hindi-language comedy film directed by Sangeeth Sivan and produced by Subhash Ghai and Raju Farooqui under Mukta Arts.
Budget: ₹9.5 crore
Story Summary:
The story revolves around Kishan, a clever con artist living in Goa who earns money using different disguises. His friend Arjun loves Shivani, the daughter of a strict Hindu man, Pandit Satyabol Shastri, who opposes their relationship because Arjun is Christian.
To help his friend, Kishan disguises himself as Arjun's wealthy aunt, Sunaina. This leads to hilarious situations when Shastri falls for "her." Meanwhile, a bag of priceless diamonds accidentally comes into Kishan's possession. Inspector Mane, Carlos, Matha Prasad, and Rana Jung Bahadur all chase the diamonds, leading to chaos and comedy.
Cast:
Krishna, Suniel Shetty, Shreyas Talpade, Anupam Kher, Celina Jaitly, and others.
Krishna closed the script and said,
"I like this script, Manoj. I want to do more comedy films. Let's complete the contract."
Manoj laughed.
"I knew you would like it. You were searching for a comedy project, and this story is perfect. Your lady disguise will be exciting."
"They're offering ₹2 crore, and shooting will start in 15 days," Manoj added.
"That's fast," Krishna said. "They want to finish quickly."
"Yes," Manoj replied. "They want to release the film early because many big movies are coming after September."
Krishna nodded. He knew that after September, festivals and major releases would dominate the box office. An early release was a smart move.
"Alright," Krishna said. "Contact them and start the contract process."
Manoj nodded in agreement.
That night, Krishna stood on the balcony of his villa, looking at the city lights, stars, and moon.
"My previous life was nothing compared to this one," he thought. "Thank God for giving me a new life. I don't want fake fame or shortcuts. I want to shine as a real star—and I definitely will."
With that thought, Krishna went to his bedroom.
Unknown Place
Saawariya Film Set
Sonam Kapoor said coldly,
"This Krishna will never become a star. He's an outsider with no strong backing. His career will end sooner or later—at best, he'll remain a supporting actor."
Ranbir Kapoor nodded.
"You're right. To become a star, you need strong production house support. He works with small banners. People think Shah Rukh Khan had no backing, but they don't know his family had industry connections. Krishna is an orphan—no background, no support. Becoming a star is impossible."
The director called out,
"Ranbir, Sonam—next scene ready."
Both replied,
"Yes," and walked toward the set.
A Few Days Later
Krishna officially signed the contract with Mukta Arts. Shooting for Apna Sapna Money Money began.
On set, Krishna met many actors and supporting cast members. After introductions, shooting started smoothly.
The entire film was completed in just 30 days. Krishna's comedy timing, funny dialogues, and lady disguise became highlights of the movie.
5 May, 2006
36 China Town – Release Day
Krishna watched the reviews from his villa.
Bollywood Trade Review:
"36 China Town works because its lead actor understands restraint. Krishna doesn't try to dominate the mystery; he flows with it. His performance replaces loudness with confidence."
Mumbai Film Circle:
"Krishna proves that commercial thrillers don't need overacting. His body language, timing, and reactions keep the audience engaged."
Box Office Collection
Day 1: ₹5 crore
Day 2: ₹7 crore
Day 3: ₹7 crore
Day 4: ₹8 crore
First Week: ₹27 crore
Second Week: ₹15 crore
Third Week: ₹10 crore
Fourth Week: ₹5 crore
Fifth Week: ₹5 crore
Sixth Week: ₹3 crore
Seventh Week: ₹2 crore
India Net: ₹67 crore
India Gross: ₹70 crore
Worldwide: ₹80 crore
Verdict: SUPER HIT
36 China Town became the highest-grossing film of Krishna's career so far. After the success, the entire cast attended a grand success party.
Karishma, Akshaye Khanna, and Krishna met again, laughing, talking, and discussing future projects—unaware that this was only the beginning of Krishna's rise.
[For Future My New Book Information:-
I want to write a novel about an Indian boy who is reborn back in time and decides to restart his life. He studies hard and, by accident, comes into contact with an unknown stone, which gives him telekinetic powers. At first, he doesn't know how to use them in his normal world.
Suddenly, unknown creatures start appearing around him. He realizes that he hasn't gone back to Earth's past, but has been reborn into a parallel world—a world similar to his own, but filled with monsters and mysterious creatures whose existence is unknown to ordinary people.
Many secret organizations protect these creatures from the public eye. But as his powers awaken, the entire world gradually discovers that monsters, creatures, and even superheroes exist alongside humans.
It's a story of rebirth, hidden powers, secret worlds, and a new beginning in a universe full of danger and adventure.]