Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; March 24, 2018)

After winning rave reviews at the Toronto International Film Festival, the Busan International Film Festival and the Mumbai Film Festival (MAMI), Rajkummar Rao’s upcoming release Omertà received a warm applause at the Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF). The Hansal Mehta-directed film, which sees Rao playing Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, was screened in the Global Vision category of the festival on March 19. Interestingly, Mehta reveals that the version screened at the ongoing festival was different from the one played at MAMI. “There were a few suggestions that we gathered post MAMI. We incorporated the changes in the film. It has definitely improved the narrative, making it sharper,” says the director.

Shot in real locations across London and India, the film traces different terror attacks from the Kandahar hijack and 9/11 attacks to the brutal beheading of American journalist Daniel Pearl. With the audience at the festival “appreciating the hard push against terrorism”, Mehta says he was overwhelmed by the number of questions they had for him post the screening.

“I was asked a lot of questions that threw up several new interpretations of how the audience perceived the film. As a director, it’s fascinating to hear people speak of how they interpreted your vision. The HKIFF always attracts the best of global talent, and with Omertà representing India, everyone associated with the film felt proud.”

Ask him of the scene that resonated with all and he says, “The scene of Daniel Pearl’s killing is a chilling one. It’s fantastic, and in my opinion, Raj’s best work till date. One has to watch the movie to believe it.”