Ajay Devgn knows a mass entertainer when he sees one. In the two decades since he turned producer with Ajay Devgn Ffilms, he has backed several box-office hits, including Bol Bachchan (2012), Son of Sardaar (2012) and Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior (2020). Now, he is joining forces with Roy Kapur Films to co-produce a comedy titled Gobar!

Ad filmmaker Sabal Shekhawat has shifted gears to direction with the project, which also sees him on double duty as a co-writer with Sambhit Mishra. The satire, set in the cow belt of India during the ’90s, is inspired by true events and revolves around an idiosyncratic veterinarian who chances upon a web of corruption in the local state hospital. The bumbling protagonist then sets out on a brave journey to fight corruption. Excited about his story finding a large canvas, Shekhawat says, “Gobar! will take viewers back to the charm of small-town living. I wrote this story keeping in mind a few true events that unravelled a gamut of issues, at the centre of which is a vet whose love for cows and animals supersedes everything.”

Devgn, whose last venture The Big Bull enjoyed a digital premiere, believes this venture deserves a big-screen outing. “The story is relatable, funny, and entertaining to the point that I’m confident it will compel people to go to the theatres. We want viewers to laugh, relax and perhaps, think a little [about the rampant corruption],” he says. Though Devgn often headlines his productions, he has taken the back-seat this time around. The hunt for the leading man is underway.

One may argue that Siddharth Roy Kapur, having produced The Sky Is Pink (2019) and Yeh Ballet (2020) in the recent past, has different creative sensibilities from Devgn’s mainstream outings. But the film’s simple message of “the power of the common man” struck a chord with both. “What makes the film unique is that it is a situational comedy that sheds light on the inner workings of power,” shares Kapur. 

The comedy is expected to roll by the year-end.