Director Meghna Gulzar, who is co-producing the film; informs that it will roll in March and will be shot primarily in Mumbai and Delhi
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 19, 2018)

Meghna Gulzar is currently on a recce in Delhi for her next directorial, Chhapaak, the traumatic and inspiring true story of acid attack survivor Laxmi Agarwal (below; left). The film is expected to go on the floors in the third week of March and will be primarily shot in Mumbai and Delhi. As Mirror (October 5) had earlier reported, Deepika Padukone not only plays the protagonist, but is also co-producing the film with Meghna. Now, we have learnt that Vikrant Massey has been roped in opposite her, his character modelled on Laxmi’s partner Alok Dixit.

“The cast is slowly coming together. Vikrant is somebody I’ve wanted to work with since Raazi, after seeing him in A Death In The Gunj. In the film he plays a North Indian boy who used to be a professional before he decided to become an actor, then, started a campaign against acid violence which is how he came to meet Laxmi in real life. I speak for both Deepika and myself when I say that we are both really excited to have Vikrant play this part,” Meghna says.

On the subject of the film’s title, she says that they were toying with two—Gandhak, the Hindi word for sulphuric acid, and Chhapaak, the sound of a splash. “The latter spoke to me strongly and resonated with everyone I bounced it off as it conveys that the film is about acid violence almost immediately and quite effortlessly,” avers the filmmaker.

She goes on to reveal that it was Vishal Bhardwaj who came up with the idea of making Talvar and threw the project at her. “I thank my stars that I had the presence of mind to say ‘yes’. Raazi again was a story that picked me. Two different producers wanted me to adapt the novel on screen, Calling Sehmat, so I thought I needed to tell it. But after Talvar I was looking to create my own content and while researching something else, I came across different stories of acid attack survivors. Laxmi’s stood out because of how important it has been in terms of its social and legal implications,” she informs.

After Raazi, Meghna had planned to roll with the Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw biopic, but after she finished the first draft, she realised that given its subject and scale, it would be a while before this film could go into production. Since she had this script, she decided to go with this one first and on a lark, asked for a meeting with Deepika. When she outlined the story to her, the actress told her honestly that she was looking for a lighter subject, having done some intense films in the last few years. But two weeks later, when Meghna narrated the script to her, by the time she reached the end, Deepika had decided she was doing the film. “It was that organic because it’s such a moving story. And the decision to co-produce the film with her also happened organically because I wanted to remain close to it through the entire process,” says Meghna.

During her research, she had seen pictures of Laxmi before the attack and the only person who came to her mind was Deepika. “But I didn’t think even in my wildest dreams that she would agree to do this role. It’s not easy when your face is your calling card. To agree to put that on the line and disguise yourself as an acid attack survivor for a film is a difficult path to tread,” Meghna points out, adding that they are trying to achieve as much ‘live’ as they can, and prosthetics tests are underway. “There are different looks in the film because of the several stages of facial reconstruction. Luckily, we have great technical talent on board,” she adds.

How involved is Laxmi in the film? Meghna whose script is drawn from conversations with her over two years, says she has shared the detailed story and screenplay treatment with Laxmi. “She is happy with what we’ve developed,” the director says with quiet satisfaction. And will there be songs in the film that will bring her father, Gulzar, into the team? “It’s not a subject which inherently lends itself to songs, and that is something that I do to myself all the time, but I’m hoping we will find a place for some songs,” she signs off looking forward to the new year and a new challenge.