In the past 20 years, Shoojit Sircar has built not only a rich filmography, but also a creatively fruitful collaboration with Amitabh Bachchan. While the duo’s Piku (2015) and Gulabo Sitabo (2020) have been appreciated, the director’s favourite remains the yet-unreleased Shoebite, which revolves around a 60-year-old man who sets out on a journey of penance. Shoebite has been mired in legal issues as Percept Picture Company, which was to originally produce the film, filed an injunction against the UTV Motion Pictures-backed project.

Sircar hopes that the film, which was made in 2012, will reach the audience someday. Calling it his favourite among all the characters essayed by Bachchan in his movies, the filmmaker says, “Shoebite is very close to my heart as it was our first collaboration. I wish I could show you how Mr Bachchan has poured his heart and soul into his character. It is not over-dramatic or gimmicky, but all about simple expressions, understanding and silences. While Mr Bachchan is known for his dialogue delivery, in Shoebite, he is not a talkative person—it is just pure emotions bursting out of him.”

Does he see a way to resolve the issue, and perhaps release the movie on an OTT platform? “We are trying hard to sort out things, but it’s complicated. I hope it gets resolved, and we get to release it.”

A source informs that the rights of the film are now with Disney and Fox. The makers will decide whether it will be a theatrical or OTT release.