Abhay Deol on his next, a sci-fi film currently being shot in Kolkata
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 29, 2017)

Abhay Deol who was last seen in Aanand L Rai’s 2016 romcom, Happy Bhag Jayegi, now plays a CBI detective who travels through time and space to solve a mystery

You have been hopping from one genre to the next, why sci-fi now?
Why not? I’ve always loved the genre and I haven’t had the chance to make one yet. They don’t write them often as they usually have high budgets. But high concepts don’t need high costs.

What does the film’s title, JL-50, signify?
It is the number for a passenger aircraft.

So, tell us about JL-50, like James Cameron’s Avatar, is it going to be set in a different world and will it require any special get-ups?
JL-50 is set in this world and my character travels through space/time to solve a mystery that has a life-changing effect on him. There are no light sabers, no men in spandex with capes and no furry creatures. It’s actually about real life and an extraordinary event.

Given that you are an environmentalist, will it have a message to propagate?
A film doesn’t necessarily need a message, some have, some don’t. This film isn’t being made with a message in mind, but I am sure everyone who sees it will get their individual message.

Are you only acting in it or are you also involved in the capacity of a producer?
I am only acting in this one.

Which is your favourite sci-fi film and is there any particular character in it, which is a reference point for you in this film?
Many! Blade Runner, Star Wars, 2001: A Space Odyssey, the list is long. Hans Solo, Rick Deckard, Marty Mcfly are some great characters from the classics I grew up watching.

Can you point to any one Hindi sci-fi film, which has taken our cinema a notch higher? What kind of benchmarks are you aiming to set in terms of narrative and VFX with your film?
Not in Hindi, but Baahubali comes to mind when you talk of taking things a notch higher currently. From the classics, Mr India is a milestone in our cinema. I’m not aiming for a benchmark, I just hope the filmmakers have good VFX for the parts that require them. The narrative worked really well for me, which is why I said ‘yes’ to the project. After working with the director (Shailender Vyas), I can tell he has an eye for detail, apart from being a good writer, so I’m hoping for the best.

Where is it going to be shot? Are there any Hollywood technicians involved?
We are shooting in Kolkata at the moment. It’s a Canadian production, so it has a significant number of Canadian crew, including the director and the DoP. Piyush Mishra called me and introduced me to the makers. He’s already worked with them and is not only acting in this film, but writing the songs as well. This is my second film with him after Happy Bhag Jayegi, back to back!

Is it about a superhero?
Like I mentioned earlier, no spandex and no capes!

As an actor, what challenges you?
I don’t go out looking for challenges, they find you. I am only looking for simple stories with simple characters. In this market, they seem to be the most complex ones to create or find. In this film, I play a CBI detective on a case that takes him on a journey that has far-reaching consequences.

Tell us about the rest of the cast. Is there a heroine, antagonist or an alien?
It’s not a romantic film so there’s no ‘heroine’. There are good guys and bad guys and joining me for the ride are Piyush Mishra and Pankaj Kapur.