Yashowardhan Mishra is understandably emotional as his maiden directorial feature, Kathal, starring Sanya Malhotra, drops online today. But the significance of his emotions is fully understood when he reveals that he lived with the subject for a decade.

“I had come across this news piece that an influential person’s jackfruits had gone missing, and the police and state machinery were deployed to find them. At that time, I had felt it made for a great satire. I had written a short story [based on it],” recollects Mishra.

The incident stayed with him, becoming a part of his subconscious. A few years ago, he decided that it could lend itself to a movie, one that could highlight the power wielded by the influential.

“On the surface, it’s a satire about the police being deployed to find jackfruits, but underneath, there are layers and subtext. We met people, found stories that mattered, and juxtaposed them with the [central incident].”

For the Netflix film, the director couldn’t ask for a better cast than Malhotra, Vijay Raaz and Rajpal Yadav. While he has long been an admirer of Yadav’s skills, he found an able artiste in his leading lady.  

“Without Sanya, Kathal wouldn’t have been possible. She got hooked on to the subject quickly. She is sharp and aware of the world around her. Her comic timing is superb. At the same time, she is humble about the gaps she has to fill in, to bring truth to her character. As for Rajpal sir, we didn’t want to have him as a comic relief. He showed his strength as an actor with this role.”