Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; February 9, 2019)

Earlier, Sushant Singh Rajput would be perturbed about the success and failure of his movies. When we had met him after Raabta’s (2017) release, he was upset as the reincarnation romance hadn’t lived up to expectations.

However, when we caught up with the 33-year-old recently, we noticed that now he is unfazed by the fate of his movies. He tells us, “There’s so much to do and you have one life. We all need to stop overthinking about things and just concentrate and put in our energies on the next thing that interests us.” While the Gen-Y star has as many as four films lined up this year with Sonchiriya being the first release, he doesn’t want to be called just ‘an actor’.In a candid chat, Sushant reflects about his personal and professional choices. Excerpts…

You seem to be in a different space in life right now...
I’m in the right space because I love to live in the present and do what I like to do without harming anyone else. To me, that’s life. Thankfully, I have managed to be at a place where I decide for myself. I have plenty of things that I like already, so I allot my time to them in order to be happy. If I’m joyful, I can make people feel that way.

You don’t conform to the industry prototype for actors. You aren’t really out there as much as your peers…
(Cuts in) I don’t define myself with norms at all. We start conversations with assumptions that we are talking to an actor. That’s also partly true because I’m selling my film. But I’m not just an actor. Acting is a part of my life. It’s necessary to see where we are heading in terms of career and life, but if you are successful and you don’t have the time to enjoy the benefits of being so, then what’s the point?

Is it a conscious move on your part to not fit in?
I’m competitive in my own way. I don’t believe in working hard. If you work hard, you will be hired to do just that all your life. I have plenty of things I like doing and acting happens to be one of them. I’m grateful for that because I have always loved performing. It never means that I don’t take it seriously. I pay attention and my intention is right but it’s just my liking, nothing else. I also believe all of us are terribly similar but remarkably unique at the same time.

In most of your films, you have played complex characters. Why do you veer towards such conflicted roles?
If I’m paying attention and I observe, I get to see the conflicts and that gives me enough material to portray a particular character. But in real life, I’m not conflicted at all. I’m clear in my thoughts and my choices. I’m mostly peaceful — sometimes I’m happy, sometimes I’m loving it. It’s always positive, so I miss those emotions and acting is a great way to revisit them. Also, my job as an actor is to get people together. If I don’t remind you of somebody, then I’m doing my job well.

You are part of Sonchiriya which is a dacoit drama, a genre that hasn’t been explored of late...
It comes from the fact that I’m thinking about a human being more than an actor. I feel while these films are important where we revisit our past and remake something that we have already liked in a new way, all we want to do is to have a good time and take away something from the movie. For cinema to be aspirational or entertaining, we need to know where we are, at that point, in terms of what’s happening around the world. While the world has become a smaller place, thanks to the internet and social media, we are still losing our sense of identity. That’s why local stories have become so important and people want to hold on to them. The best way to do that is through entertainment. So, Sonchiriya is set in Chambal, which hasn’t lost its identity. Whatever evolution has come in the form of technology, that place has remained unaffected by it. So the interesting point is — why is it so untouched and what’s so unique about Chambal? That gives you the reason to make a film like this. Plus, you have a writer-director like Abhishek Chaubey who has layered it with multiple contexts, so that everyone can have at least one thing they like or connect to. Then, you have great actors to put his vision to celluloid and I don’t see a reason why people should be disinterested in a film like this.

The dialogues are in a particular dialect. Was that ever a point of concern when you shot the film?
This was discussed a lot. It wasn’t in terms of what should we do, but to get that clarity while we speak. It was never debated whether or not we will use the Bundelkhandi dialect because it’s a director’s prerogative. While the producers are thinking about making a connection with the audience, I believe that no matter how much we love the audience, we don’t know them individually. This film drives home the point that people want to hold on to their local culture and they are most definitely not like us which is why we are bringing their story. That’s why, it has to be authentic.

So, all the actors haven’t redubbed it in Hindi?
I was not a good enough actor to make all my dialogues clear. This film has been shot on sync sound, so, probably where I’m saying a line during an action sequence, it’s getting mixed. That’s why there are a few that I had to dub.

There was a time when you would get affected by the failure of your films. Does it still bother you?
Nothing stays, not even success. Somebody will tell you whether you are good or bad in a film. But you don’t need to allocate time for that or feel anything about it. Even if you’re a good performer, you need to think about the acting you have to do in your next film. Even if there are few moments here and there when we think about it, it’s merely course correction (smiles).

Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; February 7, 2019)

Last year, Bhumi Pednekar was missing in action on the big screen, though she was seen in Lust Stories, an anthology of four short films on a digital platform. But 2019 will see the talented performer having a couple of releases starting with Sonchiriya. The film, which is set in the ravines of Chambal, has the Toilet: Ek Prem Katha actress play a feisty character alongside Sushant Singh Rajput. The 29-year-old, who has been essaying strong women characters ever since her debut in Dum Laga Ke Haisha (2015), considers her rustic avatar to be the most challenging till date. Here, she talks about her unique prep for the role and more. Excerpts...

From an overweight girl in Dum Laga Ke Haisha to being completely deglam in Sonchiriya, you have no qualms experimenting with your look. Don’t you feel apprehensive about how it will be received?
Honestly, no. When I play a character, I am completely disconnected from Bhumi, the person. I become the character. In Sonchiriya, the transformation was worked upon extensively right from the discolouration on my face to pigmentation due to sun exposure, the roughness of the skin texture, etc. I had to stop grooming myself for a couple of months. No going to the parlour, no manicure, waxing, skin or hair treatment. The only make-up was to get tan and darkness around the face. In fact, when I would drape the sari and have freckles on my face, I would become a different person. Recently, when I had to don that look for the promotions, I thought I appeared beautiful.

What prompted you to take up the film?
Abhishek Chaubey (director) has been on my bucket list. I have seen all his films, and especially loved Ishqiya (2010). But I was blown away by Udta Punjab (2016). So when I got a call from him, I was surprised. There was a gut feeling that I wanted to be a part of this phenomenal story of courage and spirit. It’s a humane story that comes from a region known for its lawlessness and harshness. The actioner is set ’70s during the Emergency period. It’s more than 40 years ago, but still relevant. That’s what stayed back with me after the narration. A lot of things that the director Abhsihek Chaubey has tried to comment on still exist; be it the caste divide, status war or the atrocities that women face. It’s the sheer consequence of revenge. Sonchiriya is an action-packed revenge drama. There’s so much happening in the movie that you start feeling for the characters.

What kind of prep did you have to do for the role?
In my first meeting with Chaubey sir, he told me categorically that in order to be a part of this film, I had to be physically, mentally and emotionally strong. He gave us that kind of training, too. We learnt the Bundelkhandi dialect. Ram Diwakar, who plays an important character in the film, trained us as he is from Chambal. We became so fluent in the language that we conversed in it on the sets even with the crew. As compared to other films, my physical training for this was different. I designed my workout around my character’s daily chores. I represent a girl, who does a lot of physical labour. Women there walk several kilometers to get water and carry 8-10 litres on their head, at times, with children on their back. To make myself stronger, I used to walk around Aram Nagar, barefoot, with some kind of weight on my back, either aate ki bori or chawal ki bori.

To what extent did this help while shooting?
We conditioned ourselves to such an extent that we felt we belonged to the region. So much so that even being pricked by thorns or the insects scurrying around didn’t get a reaction from us. The film is full of action, so we also trained in gun work, but it was all raw. Also, this is the first time I am doing action. The director spoke to us extensively about the character. Since it’s in the ’70s, it’s before modernisation took place. Women lived such a suppressed life, they did not know what the options were. My character shows a lot of strength and courage, but it is a reaction to the circumstances she is in. Women inherently are extremely strong, but their strength is only shown when they go through some dire situation.

As we can see in the trailer, the characters speak a lot in Bundelkhandi. Won’t this be a hindrance as many viewers cannot understand the language?
Not really. The beauty of cinema is that it’s an audio-visual medium. The audio has a strong visual supporting it. The language won’t be tough, it’s not alien from Hindi. A few minutes into the film and you’ll understand it. Chambal is a huge character in the movie and we had to make it as authentic to the area as possible. The language is not a hindrance in any way, it only uplifts the film.

How was it working with Sushant Singh Rajput?
Sushant is a passionate actor and so am I. We bonded on those grounds. He is a fit guy and did a lot of prep to get into the layers of the character. Sushant, Manoj sir (Bajpayee), Ranvir Shorey, Ashutosh sir (Rana) and I had a blast shooting for it. We used to improvise and help each other, there was never any kind of insecurity or ego battle. The entire cast needed to be synchronised for the film to be what it is.

Of all the characters you have played so far, which has been the strongest?
I honestly cannot pick one, but what I have done in Sonchiriya is most different. I did not know what life in 1970 was like and the entire process made me realise that such a big section is still living under suppression. They are still trying to find their freedom. This has been my strongest character.

Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 18, 2019)

Kisko sunaoon haal dil-e-bekaraar ka
Bujhta hua charag hoon apne mazaar ka
Aye kaash bhool jaaun magar bhoolta nahi
Kis dhoom se utha tha janaza bahaar ka
Yeh duniya yeh mehfil
Mere kaam ki nahi…

When Chetan Anand decided to bring the folk legend of Heer Raanjha to the screen in verse, it was a one-of-its-kind experiment. Half a century later, Kaifi Azmi’s words still resonate. “He was a serious poet and his songs were simply an extension of his poetry,” asserts Shama Zaidi, screenplay writer, art director, costume designer, and theatre artiste who knew him since her days with the Indian People’s Theatre Association (IPTA).

She flashbacks to when young writers and journalists, theatre artistes and his daughter Shabana Azmi’s actor friends would hang out at his place. Zaidi remembers that writer-playwright, Rajinder Singh Bedi, had suggested M S Sathyu make his directorial debut with the story of a Muslim family which does not migrate to Pakistan after the Partition. The script was based on an unpublished short story by Ismat Chughtai half of whose family had crossed the border.

“I showed the script to a few people, including my father (politician-educationist Bashir Hussain Zaidi), who liked the story but told me the politics was all wrong so I took it to Kaifi Saab and asked him to fix that aspect,” says Zaidi, pointing out that using the same situations and characters, he rewrote the entire film in a couple of months. “I edited it again, he made a few changes and we were ready to roll.”

Prod her on the changes and she reveals that the original story, which begins in 1947 in the immediate aftermath of India’s independence from British rule, ended with the whole family leaving India only to realise, disappointed, that even in Pakistan things were not hunky dory as it had appeared from afar. “Kaifi Saab reasoned that since it was a story of people who don’t wish to relocate, they shouldn’t go to Pakistan at all,” informs Zaidi. The film eventually concluded with the patriarch, Salim Mirza, turning back from the railway station to join his younger son Sikander and a crowd of protestors marching against unemployment and discrimination, staying back in India to fight for his rights.

The story which Chughtai had placed in Lucknow being from western UP herself, was also shifted to Agra, as Kaifi saab, who was from Azamgarh, “didn’t think the characters behaved like those from western UP”. And Mirza Saab who started out as a railway employee, became the owner of a small shoe shop. “Kaifi Saab had worked with leather workers in Agra and Kanpur as a trade union leader and knew the world well,” says Zaidi, who shared the Filmfare Award for best screenplay with Kaifi Saab who also took home the Black Lady for dialogue. Garm Hava was India’s official entry to the Oscars in the Best Film in a Foreign Language category and at the National Film Awards was adjudged the Best Feature Film on National Integration.

Prod her on the man himself and she remembers him as someone who didn’t speak much and had a dry sense of humour. “He would say something with a straight face, only later did you realise that he was pulling your leg,” says Zaidi, who breaks into peals of laughter as she recalls them visiting all the haunts of Sultana Daku, including a fort on the foothills of the Himalayas where he’d been imprisoned after the British labelled the villagers a criminal tribe and forcibly tried to convert them to Christianity, for a film they were writing together. “He escaped with many others and they became dacoits. While trying to piece together his life story, we met a man who offered to put us in touch with someone who’d known Sultana Daku, along with some nimboo pani while we waited. The sherbet took an hour coming, with someone being sent to the market to buy lemons. After that, when he asked us to stay for dinner, Kaifi saab told me quietly that we should make our escape because a meal would take even longer coming.” Sultana Daku was shelved after director Sukhdev got into a fight with the producer and so was a film version of Laila-Majnu because someone else came out with a bad film on the same subject. “The last thing he was working on was a play based on his long Urdu poem Zehr-e-Ishq . We had a reading before he fell ill and never recovered. It can never be performed because half the manuscript is lost,” sighs Zaidi.

Kaifi saab’s birth centenary was celebrated on January 14. 

Actor, who played the real-life dacoit in his debut, Bandit Queen, reprises the character in Abhishek Chaubey’s upcoming directorial, set in Chambal
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 17, 2019)

Life has come a full circle for Manoj Bajpayee, who in his silver jubilee year in cinema, will be revisiting his debut character of dacoit Mann Singh from Shekhar Kapur’s Bandit Queen in Abhishek Chaubey’s soon-to- release Sonchiriya. The ensemble film also features Sushant Singh Rajput, Bhumi Pednekar, Ranvir Shorey and Ashutosh Rana.

The 49-year-old actor is quick to clarify that while his character in the 1994 film was inspired by the dacoit himself, the current one is a fictional character modelled on not just Mann Singh but several other da as well. “Yes, he goes by the same name and has shades of Mann Singh, but we have taken some creative liberties while staying true to the dacoit culture,” says Manoj.

He goes on to reveal that he had stayed with the dreadful dacoit while shooting for Shekhar’s film, based on Phoolan Devi, to understand the psyche this baaghi. “It was an enriching experience and all the stories he told me about the life of dacoits came in handy when working on both films,” he admits, going on to add that back then, a few dacoits were still active but now these bandits have been completely disbanded. “Even the Chambal ravines are almost dacoit-free so there was no fear of encountering one during the filming.”

Prod him on his approach to acting and he acknowledges that he’s learnt many new things ce Bandit Queen. “I didn’t have knowledge about camera or cinema for that matter during my debut film but when working with Abhishek I came with a lot of experience. The approach to my craft keeps evolving with knowledge. Not just Mann Singh, I would approach every character, from Bhiku Mhatre (Satya) to Vijayendra Singh (Zubeidaa) and Rashid (Pinjar) differently today,” he maintains.

Asked to compare the approach of the two directors, Manoj says that Shekhar loves to spend time with his actors and in the process extracts memorable performances from them. “I got my real training in cinema when working with him and would call him an actor’s director. Chaubey, on the other hand, has a unique way of building up the drama and a mastery in developing the script. They belong to different generations and have different strengths,” he reasons.

The actor concludes by saying that though his character doesn’t have a lot of screen-time in the Sushant Singh Rajput-Bhumi Pednekar film, Mann Singh has a crucial role to play in the screenplay. “It’s not a lengthy role but it will leave a lasting impact,” he promises. 

Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; January 16, 2019)

At stark contrast to the lifestyle she leads today, Bhumi Pednekar is set to play the role of a resident of Chambal for a film set in the ’70s. Understandably then, she had to isolate herself to acquire the demeanour of the character for Abhishek Chaubey’s dacoit-drama Sonchiriya, for a fair amount of time.

How much, you ask. “45 days,” she responds. “I isolated myself from the world for 45 days to understand the character. Acting is a process of metamorphosis; it’s about forgetting who one is and becoming someone else. For Sonchiriya, I needed isolation to do so. I cut off from the world to understand the psyche and behaviour of the person I was becoming.”

Interaction for Pednekar, she says, was restricted to her family members only. “I had to unlearn a lot to learn about her. I had little content to use as reference, and built on the material that I got from the script. I stayed at home, researched, and limited human interaction till I boarded my flight to Chambal.”

Having arrived in Chambal, the actor took to another week of isolation before working on her diction. It is heard she learnt Bundelkhandi.

Abhishek Chaubey on his upcoming dacoit-drama, future of the Ishqiya franchise, after-effects of the Udta Punjab row and life after marriage
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 11, 2019)

Over the years, Abhishek Chaubey has carved a niche for himself in mainstream Bollywood cinema with characters drawn from the heartland of India. After Ishqiya, Dedh Ishqiya and Udta Punjab, the director is all set to take his brand forward with Sonchiriya, an upcoming dacoit drama set in the1970s.

Excerpts from an interview:

What takes you back to small town characters?
Primarily my small-town heritage. Before we went there for the shoot, I hadn’t visited Chambal in a while, but I’ve seen life in the heartland and believe it’s not well represented in our films. That’s why I’m drawn to cinema that’s true to the real India and entertaining.

But how do you define entertainment?
I don’t really understand the term, if it means humor, song and dance, then I don’t subscribe to it. For me, entertainment is derived from a story. So, it’s important to tell an engaging story.

How tough was the casting?
It was a long process. For me, it’s a film with five primary characters and fortunately, all the actors came on board because of the script. My team flew to various parts of North India and picked out actors from local theatre.

Why do the characters need to speak in Bundeli? Won’t it alienate the audience?
People in Mumbai believe the entire country speaks one language, but the dialect changes every 200 kilometers. That’s why I create characters who speak different dialects, I don’t see it as alienating the audience because Bundeli is very similar to Hindi. But everyone in the cast, apart from Manoj Bajpayee and Ashutosh Rana, struggled to get it right when we started the workshops. Language aside, all actors also had to learn how to handle a gun as it is a battle film with a lot of action.

Was there any threat from the local dacoits in Chambal?
The dacoit culture died some time ago. You don’t see them roaming openly now. Yes, we were warned by the officials to avoid shooting in certain places.

Critical acclaim or box office collection – what’s important?
I would be lying if I said numbers don’t matter but I can’t make a film with the singular agenda of making money. I’ve to stay true to the script without compromising on my vision. I can’t let anyone force me into adding an item number just to lure the masses and make some extra bucks. I’d prefer to convince the audience through my promos that the story has ample scope for entertainment.

Many believe it was the censor controversy that brought an audience for Udta Punjab…
This is a high-profile profession and one of its curses is that people will say whatever they feel like. If you take such things seriously, you end up depressed. The controversy wasn’t my doing nor my intention. I suffered a lot during that phase. There was nothing to take back except plain suffering. Irrespective of whether anybody believes me or not, I didn’t want the film to be controversial. We couldn’t stick to our marketing plan as everyone was busy fighting with the CBFC.

Were you satisfied with the audience reaction?
Some loved it, some hated it, but one thing I can say, the film was effective in creating awareness about substance abuse in Punjab. So, the purpose was served.

What did you learn from it?
As a filmmaker, I don’t dissect my previous work. If I get too satisfied, I will lose the will to grow. My goal is to learn from my mistakes and try not to repeat them.

Were you disheartened when your first production, A Death In The Gunj, failed at the BO?
I don’t have any illusions about the box office. I have an idea of what will work and what won’t. I knew my target audience and they responded exactly the way we expected. The film was applauded at international film festivals which helped us crack a good deal with the digital platform as well the overseas market. It’s a beautiful little gem for us and no one lost money on the film.

What’s happening with the Ishqiya franchise?
It’s difficult to comment at this point because the last film came out five years ago. Given an opportunity, I’d love to take the franchise forward, but someone needs to come to me with an interesting idea.

Anything you learnt from Vishal Bhardwaj?
He advised me to develop an understanding of screenplay writing before moving to direction. That’s why I worked with him as a writer and associate director in early 2000’s. Without his guidance, I wouldn’t have been the filmmaker I am today. A lot of people tell me that my films have a flavor similar to Vishal Bhardwaj’s films, that’s because I have grown up working with him. Apart from films, I learnt how to interact with the team on the sets, deal with problems and stay calm.

Any plans to team up again?
He scored the music of Sonchiriya, but there is nothing in the pipeline as far as films are concerned.

How’s life after marriage?
Chetana Kowshik and I got married two years ago, but we have been together since a long time. We were college sweethearts, and the most interesting part of our relationship is our friendship. I am less anxious as a person today because of her.

Do you discuss films with her?
Yes, we discuss work all the time.

What next?
I am doing a digital show with Junglee Pictures. It will happen sometime this year. 

Over two decades after Shekhar Kapur's film Bandit Queen, Manoj Bajpayee on playing dacoit again in Sonchiriya
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; December 18, 2018)

He played a small but significant role as Mann Singh in Shekhar Kapur's Bandit Queen (1994). Almost 25 years later, Manoj Bajpayee found himself treading on familiar territory again — the actor is seen as a dacoit in Abhishek Chaubey's Sonchiriya that harks back to the '70s when thugs wreaked havoc in the heartland of India. The film's recently-released teaser won appreciation from fans who lauded Chaubey for his choice of the gritty drama.

On his part, Bajpayee, too, heaps praise on the director for presenting stories through an unvarnished lens. "I admire Abhishek Chaubey's story telling and his potential to make characters so believable on screen," says the actor, who shares screen space with Sushant Singh Rajput and Bhumi Pednekar in the film.

Though unwilling to divulge too many details about the project, Bajpayee concedes that it was an interesting experience to get into mindset of a dacoit again. "The research that I had put in for Bandit Queen came handy when I was performing this time. In terms of craft or referencing, you can't be the same actor you were 25 years ago. But there was a sense of deja vu as we shot at a lot of similar locations in Chambal. I was constantly reminded of the old film."

Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; July 27, 2018)

Stationed in Chambal until May this year for the Son Chiriya shoot, Bhumi Pednekar returned to the Madhya Pradesh district last week to visit the Abhyudaya Ashram. Inspired by the works of the residential school that provides education and teaches the children employable skills to curb the rampant prostitution in the state, the actor has decided to lend her support to the cause.

A source says, “Bhumi headed to Chambal on Wednesday to spend the day with the kids. Besides interacting with them and showering them with gifts, she also had a word with the administration department of the school about its progress. She is deeply invested in the cause and wants to create awareness about the challenges faced by the young girls of the community.”

It was during the shoot of the Abhishek Chaubey-directed dacoit drama that she had learnt of the Morena-based school. Established in 1992 to fight the prostitution of girls, the ashram — which is funded by the Ministry of Women and Child Development — provides education to the kids, thus opening up job opportunities for them.

Bhumi Pednekar on why being slotted in small-town screen turns isn’t restrictive
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 12, 2018)

Riding high on the success of her last two releases, the Akshay Kumar-starrer Toilet: Ek Prem Katha and Shubh Mangal Saavdhan with Ayushmann Khurrana, Bhumi Pednekar is in a happy space. In April, she wrapped up Abhishek Chaubey’s Son Chiriya and admits Shekhar Kapur’s Bandit Queen was a reference point for her prep but won’t reveal if she’s playing a dacoit in this film.

“I prepped for three months, getting the dialect and body language right, but there’s more to my character than just placing her in a certain region. When I started shooting in the Chambal ravines in January, I didn’t know what to expect as we haven’t seen much of the terrain in films, with the exception of Bandit Queen and Paan Singh Tomar. It was a surreal experience,” the 28-year-old actress reminisces, pointing out that while the landscape is harsh and arid, there’s also hope, serenity and beauty. “It was one of my toughest films, but all of us would look forward to the shoot. I was motivated by Sushant (Singh Rajput) and Manoj (Bajpayee) sir, they’re phenomenal!” she says.

She also heaps praise on former costar Akshay, saying, that she found a life coach in her hero who made her understand that along with success and stardom, money and power, one needs to be grounded, dedicated, happy and respectful towards people. “He taught me some big life lessons and is a great role model.”

Her mentor, however, is her Dum Laga Ke Haisha and Shubh Mangal Saavdhan co-star Seema Pahwa who schooled her for her debut film and enriched her as a person. “I love her,” Bhumi adds.

Point out that while she’s known for her histrionics, she’s also got slotted as a small-town girl on screen despite the glam pictures she’s been posting on the social media from her recent vacation in the US. Taking the criticism head on, she says, “As an actor, I want to try everything and I’m sure I will at some point. And while all my characters so far may come from the same social stratum, they have all been diversely different. I’m a Mumbai girl and had never lived in any small town till my first film happened. Playing a city girl will come naturally to me.”

Bhumi put on 28 kg for her debut love story, knocking off all the extra weight in just six months later on. She laughs that with all that ‘shape-shifting’ experience, she can easily pursue an alternative career as a dietician or a nutritionist. “Gaining weight was emotionally tough as I couldn’t tell anyone about the film and they were wondering if I was eating too much because I was depressed. Losing it was equally difficult as I had to cut myself off from everything, be on a strict diet and work out a lot. I didn’t want to lose out on a role because I couldn’t ‘fit’ in,” she reasons.

Talking about new projects, buzz is, she’s bagged Anurag Kashyap’s sports drama Womaniya which is about two real life shooters, also featuring Taapsee Pannu. She suddenly turns reticent, saying shortly, “There is a lot happening this year but I like the filmmakers to make the announcements. It’s all pretty grey right now.”

Meanwhile, Aanand L Rai’s Manmarziyan, planned with Aayushmann and her, ended up with Taapsee Pannu, Abhishek Bachchan and Vicky Kaushal. She has no regrets. “It’s a great script and I’m glad the film is finally complete. I’m excited to watch it. I got to do Shubh Mangal Saavdhan with Aanand sir and I know we’ll re-unite for another film. Our sensibilities match and I look up to him. Maybe they can make a sequel to Shubh Mangal... so Ayushmann and I can complete a hattrick,” she laughs.

Apparently she’s found an admirer in Sanjay Leela Bhansali? Bhumi agrees that SLB has been showering love on her since her first film and that they have been in touch. “I’ve been his diehard fan since Khamoshi and with every film, I’ve loved him even more. Hopefully I will get a chance to work with him someday,” she says.

Bhumi Pednekar on the challenges that she faced while playing a dacoit in her next
Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; July 6, 2018)

Bhumi Pednekar won a lot of praise for her realistic performance in Zoya Akhtar’s anthology from Lust Stories. The actress, who will be seen next in Abhishek Chaubey’s Son Chiriya, is kicked about her upcoming project.

She tells us, “This is one film where people have come together with the intention of just being part of a lovely story. Everyone was trying to ace what they were supposed to do. I’ve never seen a set like that, where people were so calm and happy.”

Against all odds
The entire team camped in Chambal for a few months to wrap up the project. Bhumi says, “We shot in tough conditions as there was extreme weather and we were in the middle of nowhere. I came back burnt, my skin was peeling off, but none of it deterred me. Son Chiriya has been my most difficult, yet fulfilling role.”

Along with Sushant Singh Rajput’s look from the film, her first picture from the sets, too, made its way to the Internet. Although she hasn’t spoken about her character, we hear she also plays a dacoit. The Shubh Mangal Saavdhan actress points out, “People haven’t seen Sushant, me or Manoj (Bajpayee) sir looking like that. They will either be pleasantly surprised or they’ll be taken aback.”

A realistic dacoit drama
While dacoit dramas were quite prevalent in the ’70s, over the years, there have hardly been such films. The last memorable movie in this genre was Shekhar Kapur’s Bandit Queen (1994), which was based on the life of bandit-turned MP, Phoolan Devi. In an earlier interview, Manoj Bajpayee, who featured in the movie, had said that Son Chiriya is for the younger generation who may not have watched the Seema Biswas-starrer. Bhumi hopes ‘it turns out to be true’. She says, “Once the trailer is out, viewers will understand the kind of work that has gone into it. Every movie is tough; people put in their heart and soul in it. But for this film, we prepped for four months. Abhishek (Chaubey) has a great vision. Sushant (Singh Rajput) and I never saw a single frame or even went up to the monitor and checked how the shot had turned out.”

Abhishek, who has helmed Ishqiya, Dedh Ishqiya and Udta Punjab, is known for adding a realistic touch to his movies. Like his earlier works, Son Chiriya, too, will have cuss words. Bhumi reasons, “I don’t think abusing is a big deal. This is how people talk in the smaller parts of India.” Quiz her if our society is getting more comfortable with women abusing on screen and she replies, “People are gradually accepting women with power. I admire Ekta Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra and Indra Nooyi, who have held their ground and put our country in the spotlight. I want to do the same with my films. I’ve been fortunate to be a part of movies that comment on so many existing issues in an entertaining way. Son Chiriya also makes a comment on a lot of such issues.”

Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; March 30, 2018)

Ask Sushant Singh Rajput and he'll tell you that some of the best sequences are the products of creative conflicts. The actor, who is currently shooting for Son Chiriya opposite Bhumi Pednekar in Chambal, found his vision of a song at odds with that of director Abhishek Chaubey. After much discussion, Sushant Singh Rajput convinced the director to reshoot the love number.
A source reveals, "While going through the footage of the song, Sushant felt that the romance between his character and Bhumi's wasn't coming across. Since this is the only song that throws light on their love story in the otherwise gritty dacoit drama, it was imperative that the romance be established. On seeing the rushes over and over again, they realised that the song focussed on Bhumi's character with little scope for the male lead. When Sushant suggested the changes to Abhishek, he decided to reshoot it with a balanced approach."

The song was shot again earlier this week. "The new version sees Sushant's character professing his love for Bhumi," says the source, adding that Chaubey was glad to have realised the drawback in time. "It would have been difficult to redo this later since special permissions were taken for the shoot in Madhya Pradesh."

Sushant Singh Rajput on coming to terms with the rumour mills and why he is building a base for himself which is a few hours’ drive from Mumbai
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 29, 2018)

It was a working birthday for Sushant Singh Rajput, who turned 32 on January 21, and that’s just the way he had planned it. “The idea of having a great birthday is to do what you like and I like acting. So, this year, I gifted myself the opportunity to shoot with a director I’ve always wanted to work with,” exults the actor, who is currently in Chambal filming Abhishek Chaubey’s untitled dacoit drama.

Prod him on whether he is concerned for his safety in the dreaded ravines and Sushant informs that he is far from apprehensive. “According to a recent survey, a man on his way to office in a busy city can die from at least 1000 different reasons. That’s reason enough for me to take one big risk for a great script,” he says with a laugh.

Okay, so he’s one fearless hero but what if he was abducted? What would, according to him, the reallife dakus demand as ransom? “My job probably, but they won’t get it. It’s taken a lot of effort to reach where I am today from where I was and I’m not going to let it go,” Sushant says fiercely.

Abhishek Chaubey, who has previously made films like Dedh Ishqiya and Udta Punjab, is known to be a perfectionist. While his leading man will not be drawn into discussing his prep as he’s yet to see if it is effective as is or needs more work, Sushant shares that according to him the most important job of an actor is to first convince himself that he is the character. And that’s one of the things he likes about Bhumi Pedneker, his co-star and fellow dacoit in the film. According to Sushant, Bhumi is a terrific actor who works incessantly on character-building. No wonder, then, that he is quite gung-ho about sharing screen space with her. “I’m a fan of anyone who works this way. We discuss many things, I observe and learn from how she does what she does,” he explains.

Before this, Sushant was shooting with another Abhishek— Abhishek Kapoor—for Kedarnath, which reportedly revolves around a Hindu-Muslim couple caught in a crisis in the temple town. In the time of love jihad, isn’t he afraid the film might run into controversy closer to its release for its communal undertones? “Most of our films emphasise on unity rather than divisiveness, ditto Kedarnath. Yes, today, we have come to fear many things, but these fears should not come in the way of us doing what we like,” Sushant asserts.

After two schedules, shooting on the film has come to an abrupt halt and if rumours are to be believed, Abhishek Kapoor is making changes to the script. True? “Absolutely not!” he retorts. “Most of the film is complete, only a small but very important chunk remains to be shot for which extensive preparation is required, hence the break.”

Next up is the adaptation of John Green’s 2012 bestselling novel The Fault In Our Stars that revolvs around a cancer patient who is forced by her parents to attend a support group, where she meets and falls in love with another cancer patient. The male protagonist is wheelchair-bound. Recently, Kalki Koechlin had revealed that for Margarita With A Straw she had roamed in a wheelchair for a month as part of her prep. What kind of efforts will he put in given his dedication to the craft? “There are degrees to which an actor can dig into a character but the bottom line is convincing yourself that you’re the character which is the first major step in convincing the audience,” he reiterates.

Many names, including that of Varun Dhawan and Aditya Roy Kapur, were doing the rounds to play the leading man. Did he worry about them landing the coveted part? “My life is very close to Alice In Wonderland. I’m curious about a lot of things but since acting is the most exciting, I invest all my time in finding a good script with a good director. After that there’s no time to think about anything else,” he smiles.

Meanwhile, he’s raced to the finish with Tarun Mansukhani’s action-thriller Drive. What’s delaying the release of the Karan Johar production? “We recently shot a scene and a song, the special effects are in the works. Post production takes time,” he explains, leaving the release date to the makers. However, you have to ask if, given his love for cars and the training he underwent, he would like to drive on the racing circuit someday? “Not as a professional but yes, whenever I get time, I do race with my friends in the circuit. My next goal is to get a flying license and I’ve already started working towards it,” he beams proudly.

Sushant has also been running an education programme and recently sponsored a trip to the US Space Camp Center for two school-going students. What other plans does he have to make it beneficial to students across the country? “A recent survey found that over 60 per cent of kindergarten kids will work for and with technologies that are still not invented. So, just educating kids is not enough, what we teach them is equally important. I’m working with a handful of extremely intelligent futurists/behavioural economists on the knowledge structure of education systems,” he says proudly.

It’s been a while since he bought a new apartment. When does he plan to shift in? “I am building a place which is a few hours’ drive from Mumbai and offers me more space. I’ll have a telescope room, a gaming VR room, a library, my own park… Money cannot buy you such luxuries in the city,” he points out.

While both he and Kriti Sanon have repeatedly denied being in a relationship, they fuelled speculations by bringing in the New Year together with their Raabta producer- director Dinesh Vijan in Switzerland. “I insulate myself from the daily news and have a Teflon coating on me for the times I get to hear about them. I’m largely unaffected by any kind of news, good or bad,” he says.

Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 3, 2018)

Mirror (May 12) was the first to report that after his 2016 drug-drama Udta Punjab, which featured Shahid Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Kareena Kapoor and Diljit Dosanjh, Abhishek Chaubey has roped in Sushant Singh Rajput to play the lead in his next, which revolves around the Chambal dacoits of the 1970s. The 31-year-old actor is set to kick off shooting for the film later this month in the Chambal ravines and will reach the location three weeks early to prep for his part.

“Sushant is playing a dacoit for the first time and wanted to get into the character before the schedule starts so he will leave for the location on January 12 to spend time with a few former dacoits. He will also lose some muscle weight to look the rustic part as well as learn rifle-shooting,” informed a source close to the development.

On the sets, Sushant will be joined by co-star Bhumi Pednekar, who also plays a dacoit and his love interest, while Manoj Bajpayee has been roped in for another pivotal role in the Ronnie Screwvala production. “The cast will also have to work on the Bundelkhandi dialect. Abhishek is leaving for Chambal on January 8 for a two-month schedule. This will be followed by a shorter schedule in Mumbai at a later stage,” the source added.

Sushant, who brought in the New Year in Switzerland with his Raabta director Dinesh Vijan and Kriti Sanon, returns to Mumbai by the end of this week. “He will celebrate his 32nd birthday (January 21) on the sets of Abhishek’s films,” the source signed off.

Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 23, 2017)

Mirror (May 12) was the first to report that after the 2016 drug-drama, Udta Punjab, Abhishek Chaubey's next is set in the '70s and revolves around Chambal dacoits, featuring Sushant Singh Rajput and Bhumi Pednekar. We have now learnt that the Ronnie Screwvala production also has Manoj Bajpayee in an important role of a dacoit.

"Yes, that's true though we are yet to zero in on a name for my character. I always wanted to work with Abhishek as I'm a huge admirer of his work. I have seen all his films, from Ishqiya and Dedh Ishqiya to Udta Punjab. He picks his stories from rural or semi-urban areas and weaves them beautifully. When I got a chance to be a part of his story-telling, I couldn't turn it down. For me this film is not so much about the role as it is about working with Abhishek Chaubey," asserts Manoj, who starts shooting in February. He admits he will have to work on the Bundelkhandi dialect in the film. Manoj is presently filming Bhonsle in Mumbai. "It's about a retired head constable and I have been waiting to get a producer. Now that a few have come on board, we are shooting zor shor se."

He resumes shooting for Sajid Nadiadwala's Baaghi 2 in December. One of the reasons for taking on this film was casting director Mukesh Chhabra and director Ahmed Khan who are his good friends. "I'm doing this film because of their conviction," he says.

Will we see him do hardcore action scenes in the sequel, you wonder, and he explains, "I can't do action like Akshay Kumar, Vidyut Jammwal and Tiger Shroff, as I have never trained in it. But whatever action I am comfortable with, you will see me doing it," he says, equally excited about Aiyaary which he claims is one of Neeraj Pandey's best scripts and the role of a lifetime.

Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; October 10, 2017)

After three films based in small towns and villages — Dum Laga Ke Haisha, Toilet - Ek Prem Katha and Shubh Mangal Saavdhan, Bhumi Pednekar is now set to explore a completely different space in Abhishek Chaubey’s Chambal, with Sushant Singh Rajput. Both actors play dacoits in the film.
A Wish come true

The actress ends all speculation and confirms that she is doing the film, “I was dying to tell the world that I’m doing the film because I’m such a big Abhishek Chaubey fan. When I got the call, I was flying. He has been on my wishlist since I watched Ishqiya. I have known of his work because I’m a very big Vishal Bhardwaj fan, too. Omkara is one of the reasons why I’m acting in films.”

In a split second
Recalling the time when she got the offer, Bhumi reveals, “I initially thought that probably he’s producing the film. This was way before even the TEPK trailer was out. I met him and realised that he’d called me for his film. He gave me a narration and I was just star-struck because I love him, and his movies... I generally love talented people, especially filmmakers. I heard the film and I immediately said, ‘I’m doing it’. It took me one second to say yes. I told them I don’t want to read the script or anything. Otherwise, there’s always a process.”

Into the unknown
A lot will go in to the prep, before Chambal goes on floors. She explains, “We are starting in January. We need to put in a lot of prep before we go on the floor. There are going to be hardcore workshops and dialect coaching. It’s going to be set in a different era, and it’s going to be a tough film to make, both, physically and mentally. I don’t know how I’m going to express the emotion that the character is supposed to feel. I am going to tap into layers and shades in me, which I am not even sure exist.”

Action too
In all the three films that Bhumi’s been part of, she’s played the strong-willed Indian girl. But with Chambal, she will be seen in an action oriented role. “I’m very excited because people will see a different aspect to my personality with Chambal. The action, the crazy bit of it...” she continues, “When I met him, he was like this is a very stylised, action film. And I was like, ‘You are sure, right?’ He had more confidence in me that I’d pull it off. I’m very excited to explore this other facet to my personality.” Prod her a bit about the role and she hesitates, “Ya, but I really don’t want to comment on that. Because I also don’t know how much they want to give out, or what they want to give out. I didn’t tell anyone about Toilet - Ek Prem Katha till Akshay sir put it out. Even though people knew. I prefer Abhishek talking about it.”

Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 3, 2017)

Mirror (May 12) was the first to report that after Abhishek Chaubey’s 2016 drug-drama, Udta Punjab, which had featured Shahid Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Kareena Kapoor and Diljit Dosanjh, his next film revolves around Chambal dacoits and is set in the 1970s with Sushant Singh Rajput in the lead. Now, we have learnt that the film, produced by Ronnie Screwvala, will have Bhumi Pednekar as his leading lady.

“Like Sushant, Bhumi too plays a dacoit. She plays his love interest and gave the nod a month ago. The film will be shot in the Chambal ravines and will roll early next year. Abhishek and his team has already begun scouting for locations,” informs a source close to the development.

Sudip Sharma, who has cowritten the film with the 40-yearold filmmaker, had earlier informed Mirror (June 3) that he had visited Chambal for the initial research and met some reformed dacoits from the time. “Some of them have more than 80 murder charges on them. Everyone has heard horror stories about the dacoits of Chambal but I’ve realised the reality is quite different from what Hindi films portray. We aim to capture that reality,” he had said.

Bhumi who made her Bollywood debut with a 2015 romcom is on a roll. Besides the forthcoming Toilet: Ek Prem Katha with Akshay Kumar and Shubh Mangal Savdhan with her first costar, Ayushmann Khurrana, the 28-year-old actress will also feature in Zoya Akhtar’s next which is part of an anthology of four shorts directed by her, Karan Johar, Anurag Kashyap, and Dibakar Banerjee. Sushant, who has just returned from a trip to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), is prepping up for Sanjay Puran Singh Chauhan’s space-adventure Chanda Mama Door Ke. He will soon kick off Abhishek Kapoor’s Kedarnath with Saif Ali Khan and Amrita Singh’s daughter Sara Ali Khan.

Shilpi Sampad (MID-DAY; March 21, 2017)

After tempting fate a couple of times, Sanjay Dutt has sustained a rib injury while shooting for a hardcore action scene in his comeback film, Bhoomi. An X-ray confirmed a hairline fracture, said sources close to the star.

“The action sequence, which was being filmed in Chambal, had him being attacked by a group of goons. In the midst of that scene, he felt a stabbing pain in his ribs and popped a painkiller for relief. He continued the shoot, but the pain only grew worse,” an insider reveals.

Finally, Dutt decided to make a quick visit to a local hospital and get an X- ray done. “The doctor confirmed a hairline fracture. He is on medication and has been advised complete rest. However, he is eager to wrap up the shoot by the month-end,” the source adds.

Earlier this month, midday had reported how Dutt had suffered a minor bruise on his head after hitting a pole. The actor took a few hours off shoot to rest. A doctor was brought on set for a quick check- up. Dutt was later taken to a local hospital to get a few tests done.

Sonali Joshi Pitale (MID-DAY; April 22, 2014)

When director Sai Kabir and his team landed in Chambal to shoot for their upcoming film, Revolver Rani, they were in for a real shocker. The unit, sources say, ran into some dacoits who then blocked their entry into the village. A crewmember says, “ Not many people were aware about the fact that we were shooting a major portion of the film in Chambal. We had planned to not spread a word about the shoot, as we wanted to avoid attracting unnecessary attention, especially since this was a dacoit-riddled area. But as it happens, we ran into some dacoits on the first day itself. A total of eight cars pulled up before us. Covering their faces and carrying guns, these dacoits kept us asking one question after another. They wanted to know why we had come down and what we were up to.” Incidentally, the cast was travelling with police, but it seems that the latter was of hardly any help to the unit.

Says Sai Kabir, “Yes, we faced some issues while shooting for our film in Chambal. Our cars were stopped at the toll plaza and we had to satiate their curiosity. After answering a series of questions, they finally let us go. Our security couldn’t do much because these people were carrying machine guns. In fact, upon realising that we were shooting with Kangna, they expressed a desire to pose with her. We had to politely turn them down before we made a move.”

Roshmilla Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 13, 2014)

His upcoming film is titled Revolver Rani but he can’t stop gushing over another Queen. “I’m overwhelmed by Vikas Bahl’s film. I loved everything about it, especially Kangana's (Ranaut) performance. After watching it I’ve given her a new name, Cheetah,” says Sai Kabir, who is gearing up to unveil another Kangana starrer and this one is shot in the Chambal Valley.

The film's title, it’s setting and gun-toting heroine makes you believe it’s about some 21st century Bandit Queen. But the director is quick to dispel the notion and points out that his Revolver Rani is neither a Phoolan Devi nor a female version of Paan Singh Tomar. “Yes, both these films created an awareness about the Chambal Valley but ours is about the Chambal of today. We did not shoot on a set in Film City but on real locations like Gwalior, Agra, Bhopal and the Bind region of the Chambal,” Kabir points out, adding that this was where he had lived for 15 years and travelled extensively.

The director insists that it’s not in the metros but the small towns where you’ll see the real India. “It’s an India which lives in several civilisations, Shiv Mandirs and orthodox rules brushing shoulders with Armani and Louis Vuitton. It’s bizarre and perhaps the reason people here have a split personality,” says Kabir, explaining Kangna’s somewhat quirky wardrobe in the film.

So, was Kangana always his first choice for the title role? "No. It was Irrfan Khan! He’s like an older brother and I narrated the script first to him and though he liked it, he pointed out that I must have been drinking too much to think of him for a woman’s role,” Kabir laughs, quickly adding that it was a joke. “I only wanted Irrfan’s feedback, and yes, Kangana was always on my mind since I watched her in Fashion and Tanu Weds Manu. And she agreed to do the role after just one narration at Tigmanshu Dhulia’s office.”

And what about casting Vir as her toy boy? That draws another laughter, “Vir actually asked for the role and he’s fantastic. Their relationship on screen is emotional, sensual, mired in corruption and boosted by a lust for power, money and sexual love.” Won’t the section of the audience, who will be lured to the theatres expecting a film oozing with eroticism and offering plenty of skin, be disappointed? Kabir retorts, “The attempt is to make a good film and if we succeed, it will be accepted by all.”

The film was wrapped up in around 50 days and though for the most part it was fun shooting in heartland of India, there were the occasional scares too when inebriated locals turned up on the sets, armed with guns, demanding a photograph with Kabir’s Rani.

“Once a guy came fully drunk accompanied by an armed bodyguard. Although there were 30 to 35 cops around, they just stood there and looked the other way. Eventually, it was a woman constable, with just a danda in her hand, who came along and shooed them away. She was like a real-life female Chulbul Pandey,” he reminisces. “Fortunately, Kangana stayed put in these volatile situations. Hats off to her guts.”

So, did all the guns around trigger off the title? He chuckles, “Not really. I’ve loved watching B-grade films for a lark. And I think a Revolver Rani was made down South a long time ago. The name stuck in my mind. It is quirky and fun, just like my film.”