BOMBAY TIMES (February 25, 2019)

Director Abhishek Kapoor’s next, Sharaabi, will mark the first joint production venture of Bhushan Kumar’s T-series and Pragya Kapoor’s Guy In The Sky Pictures.

The film, whose details will be revealed later, is a comic drama about a dysfunctional alcoholic. The casting is underway, with the actor playing the titular role almost finalised. Like all other Abhishek Kapoor films, this one, too, is touted to feature good music.

Says producer Bhushan Kumar, “Over the years, Abhishek has become synonymous with strong content and well-crafted films, all of which have enjoyed success at the box office. We look forward to backing his vision and presenting the audience with a wholesome entertainer.”

Adds Abhishek, “Bhushan ji and I have been planning a collaboration for quite some time. We wanted it to be special, and are sure that Sharaabi will be the right concoction of comedy, drama and music to begin this association.” Interestingly, the film’s title reminds one of Amitabh Bachchan’s 1984 classic of the same name. Producer Pragya Kapoor shares, “We are currently in talks for the casting, but it’s too early to talk about it. A formal announcement will be made shortly and it’s definitely going to be special because it’s the titular role.”

The film’s pre-production is on in full swing, and it will go on floors soon.
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Kedarnath director Abhishek Kapoor switches gears, to explore dark comedy about a dysfunctional alcoholic in Sharabi
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; February 25, 2019)

Two months since the release of his ambitious love saga Kedarnath, director Abhishek Kapoor has trained his focus on his next, Sharaabi. In a departure from his dramas, the director will now tackle a dark comedy that follows a dysfunctional alcoholic.

Wife and co-producer Pragya Kapoor says, "We are still giving final touches to the script. For now, it would be accurate to say that it will be a 2020 release. This time around, Abhishek has attempted a lighter comedic tone to tell the story of an alcoholic."

While his last outing marked the debut of Sara Ali Khan, the filmmaker, in the past, has launched several actors including Sushant Singh Rajput and Prachi Desai. Pragya reveals that the upcoming project too will feature new faces.

"Introducing new talent has always been one of his strengths. There is an originality that fresh talent — be it in acting or technical department — infuses into the creative process."

Quiz her about the learning experience from Kedarnath, and she says, "It was a difficult film on many levels. To shoot the film up there in the mountains and to keep the budget in check without compromising on the scale was a tall order. Gattu [as Kapoor is fondly called] and I now plan to produce a lot more films."