Production designer of Taapsee Pannu, Bhumi Pednekar's sharpshooter biopic Saand Ki Aankh on recreating 10-meter range in Johri
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; September 2, 2019)

Given the adulation they receive in their hometown, the Tomar sisters were able to create a smooth inroad for the makers of Saand Ki Aankh into Uttar Pradesh's Johri. Having access to the village, and, of course, the homes of former sharpshooters Chandro and Prakashi Tomar implied that production designer Ravi Srivastava could seamlessly recreate their world for the upcoming Taapsee Pannu and Bhumi Pednekar starrer. But he was plagued with another task.

"The film had to look realistic, but Tushar [Hiranandani, director] envisioned it as a commercial movie. To strike a balance between those two elements was key. The subject is not of a masala potboiler, even though Tushar has grown up on an appetite of commercial films. People don't know about shooting; cricket and hockey are more popular [in India]. [I had to employ] elements to attract people to the film's drama."

In a bid to recreate the village that was home to India's brightest shooters, Shrivastava (left), credited for breathing life into films like Life Of Pi and Slumdog Millionaire, built a home from dilapidated houses. "As for the shooting range, while we mostly filmed at real ranges, we also created a small shooting range, employing six machines. The sisters gave us several insights into the sport, and cues on how we could set-up a 10-meter range. The manual shooting ranges have been used for the film's early scenes," says the designer, adding that local authorities provided them with sufficient aid to enhance their set.