While Abhay Deol-starrer has completed its Orissa schedule and is now headed to Wales, a second film, by Ujjwal Chatterjee, is gearing up to roll by the month-end in London
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 15, 2018)

Abhay Deol’s next, Jungle Cry, a film based on the historic win of the Under-14 rugby team of the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences’ (KISS) has gone on the floors. After a month-long schedule in Orissa, the unit will head to Wales on November 19 for another month-long schedule. The film traces the journey of these tribal boys who stunned the world to win the International School Rugby Tournament in London. Abhay plays the coach of the boys, Rudraksha Jena. The lead actress is yet to be finalised.

Associate producer Shabbir Boxwala (right) told Mirror, “We plan to wrap up the film by December-end. With Prashant Shah coming on board as producer, it’s an international project now and is being shot on a lavish scale. We have roped in Robert Miller who was the sports coordinator on films like Bhaag Milkha Bhaag and Student of the Year among others. Paul Walsh who trained the original rugby team is a consultant on our films and is training our kids from our film.”

Interestingly, another film, this one titled Jungle Crows, on the same subject is also set to roll soon. This one is being helmed by National Award-winning director Ujjwal Chatterjee (left). “We will be starting our shoot in London after November 27 since I have a prior commitment to wrap up first. The recce in London, Kolkata and Bhubaneshwar was completed last month. Our cast will be finalised in the next few days.”

When informed about the rival production, Shabbir retorted, “We have acquired the rights from the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences before we set out to make this film. Achyuta Samanta, the founder of KISS, has blessed our project.” 

Ex-CFSI chairman Mukesh Khanna, who is now presenting a true-life sports drama and is open to good acting offers
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 23, 2018)

The ex-chairman of the Children’s Film Society of India (CFSI), Mukesh Khanna, who resigned from the position in February, a month before his tenure was ending as, according to reports, he was unable to “execute his ideas for the society”, is to present National Award-winning filmmaker Ujjwal Chatterjee’s next. Titled Jungle Crows, the film revolves around a rugby team from Orrisa, recreating the glorious victory of 12 boys from the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) in Bhubaneswar who took part in Touraid, the Under-14 international school tournament, to lift the Nations Cup in London in 2007.

“When I was the Chairman of CFSI I had approved this script, along with 20 others. We didn’t have the money then to make even four films. That was my primary grudge against the ministry that they were not giving me enough money to make the films I wanted. I believe every filmmaker after eight-10 films should make at least one film catering to children but no one pays heed to such suggestions. So, when I left CFSI, I decided to associate myself with a film for kids,” informs Khanna.

He admits that he doesn’t have the finance to fund films himself, but if his brand helps sell one, he’s ready to present it. “Jungle Crows is the first film coming out of my banner. It’s an inspiring story of tribal boys who didn’t even know the ABC of rugby, but a coach spotted them playing football and trained them. Everyone should know their story,” points out the veteran actor who after Shaktimaan and Aaryaman Brahmand Ka Yoddha had produced the DD TV show Sautela in 2007.

A London-based company is financing the film with an Indian partner. Khanna admits the makers want him to act in it too, but he is yet to take a call on that. “We will go on the floors in a few months, once we lock our final cast,” says Khanna, quick to add that he turned producer with Shaktimaan coincidentally but he is an actor first. “However, once I turned producer, people started thinking that I had got busy and stopped offering me roles. I don’t ask for work, but I want to do films again. At the same time, I’m super selective,” he signs off.