BOMBAY TIMES (September 19, 2018)

Actor Sharman Joshi’s next, Kaashi In Search Of Ganga, is set in Varanasi, one of India’s most ancient cities. While it’s known as a centre for spiritual cleansing across the world, the city holds different meanings for different people.

The film, directed by Dhiraj Kumar, is a thriller that revolves around Kaashi (played by Sharman), who earns his livelihood by helping burn pyres at the Manikarnika Ghats. His simple, uneventful life faces a sudden upheaval when his young, college going sister, Ganga, goes missing. Distraught but determined, he joins hands with a journalist (played by Aishwarya Devan) to find her. The search, which takes him from Varanasi to Mumbai and then to Mussoorie, leads him to unexpected findings, revealing many secrets of his own life. The trailer of the movie will be out today.

Sharman, known for impressive performances on stage and in films, including 3 Idiots, Golmaal and Rang De Basanti, is excited about the film. He says, “I met Dhiraj and Manish Kishore (writer) for the story-reading session, and my connect with Kaashi was almost immediate. I thoroughly enjoyed shooting in Varanasi, and I believe that I have put in extra effort to portray my character with conviction. I am really happy with the way the film has turned out.”

Debutant director Dhiraj, adds, “This film has been my dream project, and I am grateful to Sharman for making me realise it. He is a cerebral actor, who adds a fresh perspective to the creative process. His inputs have been extremely helpful. Kaashi will go a long way in proving why Sharman is one of the finest actors in this industry. It has truly been a collaborative project, with everyone giving their best.”

Apart from Sharman and Aishwarya the film, which releases on October 26, also stars Manoj Joshi, Manoj Pahwa, Akhilendra Mishra, Govind Namdev, Priyanka Singh, Mehul Surana, Mugdha Meharia, Kranti Prakash Jha, Paritosh Tripathi and Pushkar Tiwari.