Manish Kishore, Dhiraj Kumar and Sharman Joshi on the sets of the film

MUMBAI MIRROR (October 17, 2018)

“We don’t have a penny between the two of us, but we want to make this film,” director-writer duo Dhiraj Kumar and Manish Kishore had admitted to Sharman Joshi when the actor first inquired about their project, Kaashi in Search of Ganga.

“Who are these two blithering idiots,” Sharman had thought initially. “Who comes and narrates the script without the money to back it up?” However, the two idiots had come with conviction and Joshi realised that this conviction was infectious. The inhibition somewhat lessened when he read the script and liked it from the word go. But filmmaking is not just about a great script and individuals full of conviction and courage, where’s the money? Where’s the fuel to run this obviously promising-looking car?

Sharman says, “I learnt a lesson from my film 3 idiots, ‘Bachcha kaabil bano, kamyabi jhak maarke piche aayegi.’ I connected with the script instantly and was sure that Dhiraj and Manish will make this happen, come what may,” he added in good measure.

“I knew in my heart that if a good actor says yes to the project, I will manage to arrange the sum through my contacts and well-wishers. This was easier said than done. Sleep eluded me, and I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. It was only after Sharman came into this equation that we heaved a sigh of relief,” Dhiraj says.

Manish Kishore is a different cookie. Starting out as a journalist in Delhi, he had seen the grind and deliberately took the plunge into films. “I generally call Dhiraj ji ‘Baba’. He used to be worried most of the time. So was I, but at least I used to mask it better,” Dhiraj points out, adding, “When the going got tough, and finances were particularly tight, I said, ‘Baba’ Trust Mahadev, maybe this is the last hurdle before we break through. And sure enough, we did break through.”

After one and half years of effort on Kaashi in Search of Ganga, the film is releasing on October 26, where Sharman Joshi features in a never-seen-before avatar. “I am very happy with the output of the film, and I am proud to be associated with such an impossible project which became possible with great efforts. I must say, I joined hands with the two idiots and made it three and we proved that we are not idiots in real life,” Sharman adds.