Rensil DSilva, who previously helmed Kurbaan (2009) and 24, among others, has a way with thrillers. He knows only too well that the charm of a thriller lies in a compelling premise and intensive prep. So, before he began writing Dial 100 that sees Manoj Bajpayee’s cop character in a catch-22 situation during his overnight duty, the director visited the Police Control Room in Mumbai to gain complete understanding of its functioning.

“Today, we are part of the OTT world where every [story] is realistic. So, I wanted to make a realistic film without taking too many liberties. [As prep], we met the [then] police commissioner [Param Bir Singh] who sent us to the control room. Visiting it was an eye-opener for me. The cops answer distressing calls every 10 minutes, [with complaints ranging from] domestic abuse to suicide. Seeing them [handle such high-pressure situations], I wondered, what was their motivation to come to work the next day. If you hear 10 such calls, [it affects] you psychologically. The pandemic has brought mental health issues, such as depression, suicidal feelings and loneliness, to the forefront. I thought my film can address certain issues,” says the director.

Zeroing in on his three leads was a no-brainer for D’Silva. Having worked with Bajpayee in Aks (2001) and Sakshi Tanwar in 24, he says they were his “first and only choice” for the ZEE5 film. “The only person I hadn’t worked with before was Neena Gupta. I am glad she said yes.”

While Gupta’s Seema Pallav may use devious means to settle old scores with Bajpayee’s cop character, the writer-director strived to keep their motivations honest. “I don’t think anyone is right or wrong; it’s a matter of perspective. Neena ji is doing what a mother in her place would have done; similarly, Manoj is doing what he should be doing. Right and wrong is for the audience to judge. Their moral compass is intact because the movie’s  underlying theme is that parents will go to any length for their child.”

Manoj Bajpayee is the happiest when he has a sharply written script in hand. He was deeply impressed with writer-director Rensil D’Silva’s vision of Dial 100, a taut thriller. Noting that psychological thrillers are hard to come by, he says, “We don’t have well-written psychological thrillers here because we don’t encourage good writers. What I like about the genre is that it is not dependent on the background score or editing; it’s the mind games that make the audience edgy.”

The ZEE5 film revolves around Bajpayee’s cop character who receives a mysterious call at the police control room from Seema Pallav, essayed by Neena Gupta, threatening to settle old scores with him. With the cat-and-mouse game spanning over a night, he agrees that it brought back memories of Ram Gopal Varma’s slick mystery thriller he had fronted. “It reminded me of Kaun [1999]. Both films play out over one night. That said, the two are completely different. Kaun was a psychological thriller while I would term Dial 100 an emotional thriller. It addresses certain teenage issues that need to be discussed in cinema.”

The actor is having a remarkable 2021 so far — where The Family Man 2 was lapped up by the audience, his performance in Netflix’s Ray received glowing reviews. For him though, the highlight of the year has been meeting Tamil superstar Vijay Sethupathi. “I want to work with Vijay,” says Bajpayee, his admiration for the actor evident in his remark. “When I went to Chennai to shoot for The Family Man 2, I wanted to meet a few directors and actors. As soon as I called him, he came to the shoot. We have mutual admiration. It’s great to appreciate your contemporaries; one should not get intimidated by others’ success or talent. Instead, you should push each other [to do better].”

Quiz him whether he is open to doing a Tamil film, and the actor says, “I can’t speak Tamil. If I get a film with a director of my choice, I will definitely work. I will have to learn the language because I am uncomfortable with the idea of somebody else dubbing for me.”

In the month since Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari became the first Bollywood movie to pursue a theatrical run post the pandemic, Hindi films have shied away from the big screen, instead seeking the safety of a direct-to-web release. At such a time, two women have come forward to place their bet on cinemas - Neena Gupta's The Last Color and Kiara Advani's Indoo Ki Jawani hit the screens yesterday.

"I have no idea what Indoo Ki Jawani is about. But why can't we have women-centric films in such times? Going by the title, I assume Indoo Ki Jawani is totally different from our film. So, the audience will have a variety to choose from. I had never thought that my film would release in the middle of the pandemic. It's a brave decision taken by the producers," says the actor, who leads the Vikas Khanna-directed movie.

Adapted from the master chef's book of the same name, The Last Color explores how a nine-year-old tightrope walker befriends Gupta's Noor, a widow, thus bringing hope and colour to her life. The movie - a window into the age-old taboos surrounding widows in Varanasi and Vrindavan - has won acclaim at several international film festivals, including the Palm Springs International Film Festival. "Our movie doesn't have a hero per se, nor does it have songs. It won't be a blockbuster, but the story is close to my heart."

Gupta, who had a good run this year with Panga, Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan, Panchayat and Masaba Masaba, is looking ahead to a busy 2021. "It's strange that these roles didn't come my way when I was younger. So, women belonging to my age group can look forward to a lot of work." She has wrapped up the shoot of Sardar & Grandson, and Dial 100. "I will head to London for the Goldfish shoot. The second seasons of Panchayat and Masaba Masaba are lined up."