Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 20, 2016)

Mirror (October 18) was the first to report that Kirti Kulhari will play the lead in National Award-winning-filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar’s next, Indu Sarkar, set during the 21 months of the Emergency. Raised in an orphanage, Indu has a stammering problem, but loves to read and write poetry. Madhur kick-started the first 40-day schedule in Karjat on Monday with Kirti. Production designer Nitin Chandrakant Desai has recreated portions of ’70s Delhi.

“The muhurat shot had Kirti taking a walk in Connaught Place. She passes Regal Theatre where Rishi Kapoor and Dimple Kapadia’s Bobby was playing in 1973,” informs a source, adding the shoot will continue till January end.

Madhur’s research included visits to the Nehru museum and library and BJP veteran LK Advani. He interacted with journalists like Tavleen Singh, Coomi Kapoor and Kuldeep Nayar.

He has acquired or recreated cars, posters, typewriters, radios and inland letters from the decade from Delhi, Mumbai and Lucknow.

“The blue car in the first shot is an old Mercedes 250 been hired from a businessman in Pune,” adds the source.

Neil Nitin Mukesh and Bengali actor Tota Roy Chowdhury play pivotal roles in the film.