In October, their cross-cultural love story will return to action with a three-month schedule in real locations
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 27, 2020)

Mirror was the first to report that Aanand L Rai’s next, Atrangi Re, featuring Dhanush, Sara Ali Khan and Akshay Kumar traces a journey from Bihar to Madurai. The filmmaker had revealed that like the title, all the characters in his cross-cultural love story are somewhat funnily weird. The shoot kicked off with Dhanush and Sara in Varanasi in March, but had to be abruptly stopped following the Coronavirus-induced lockdown. We have now learnt that with the industry opening up for work again, the film is gearing up to get back to action in October with a three-month marathon schedule in Madurai, Delhi and Mumbai.

Confirming the news, the director says, “Yes, I’m really excited to start the next schedule planned for October in Madurai. I have the full support of the cast and crew. We are hoping that things will improve by the time we are ready to shoot.”

The Madurai schedule will be followed by shoots in Delhi and Mumbai when Akshay, who has an important role in the film, will join the unit for a month. Aanand is expecting to wrap up the film by the year-end if everything goes as planned. The filmmaker asserts that there have been no significant changes in the script or the locations due to the pandemic. “Rather, during the lockdown, I got a lot of time to prep for the upcoming schedule,” says Aanand, adding that it would be a mix of outdoor and indoor schedules.

While the shoots till now are all confined to a studio set-up, Atrangi Re will be among the first few films to be shot on real locations during the ongoing pandemic across the country. The safety protocols have been taken care of and the team is expected to follow the viral bubble pattern adopted by sports persons for live events. The crew will have to be isolated together all through the three months and will have to strictly follow all the SOPs. “We will be filming outdoors, but it’s going to be a very organised shoot. Everyone is aware of the risk involved in not following prescribed guidelines and we will try to wrap up in the minimum time possible,” shares the director.

The film is written by his frequent collaborator, Himanshu Sharma, and has music by AR Rahman with lyrics by Irshad Kamil. It features Sara in a double role. The narrative is set in two different eras with the actress paired with Dhanush and Akshay in each era.

Aanand L Rai to travel with the ‘funnily weird’ characters in March; film targeting V-Day 2021 release and wraps up in July
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 12, 2020)

Aanand L Rai recently announced his seventh directorial, Atrangi Re, featuring Sara Ali Khan, Dhanush and Akshay Kumar. The casting coup fueled speculations that the film is another love triangle, like his last outing, the Shah Rukh Khan, Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharama-starrer Zero. The filmmaker clarifies that the film can’t be slotted in one genre. “The title means ‘funnily weird’. So, I needed a cast that’d raise questions. All my characters are ‘funnily weird’ and it’s their emotional journey,” he asserts.

Was it difficult to get the three actors together? “I don’t see casting as a task you need to pull off. I look for partners who are as emotionally charged as me on the journey. I was fortunate to get these three on board,”Aanand says, adding that Akshay gave the nod just 10 minutes into the narration. “He responded to my honesty,” the director reminisces, going on to reveal that the protagonists of his upcoming directorial have never been seen before.

The film, which he is producing with Akshay and Bhushan Kumar, rolls next month. Aanand’s frequent collaborator, writer Himanshu Sharma, has penned the script. “It’s a great mix of two Indian cultures. We start shooting in a town in Bihar and move to Madurai after that. Now you know which cultures I’m talking about,” he chuckles.

Buzz is, Akshay has a cameo in the Valentine’s Day 2021 release. Aanand is quick to refute this. “It’s not a cameo, but a very special character that is important to the narrative,” he says. While Dhanush and Sara will start shooting with the first schedule, Akshay joins the unit from mid-April, after the Bihar and Madurai shoots. The film wraps up in July. “We have a total shoot of 80-90 days,” he shares.

Besides Dhanush, the film also marks Aanand’s reunion with A R Rahman, who’d composed the music of Raanjhanaa. “Music has an integral role in the story-telling so I needed a strong pillar like Rahman,” he explains.

Aanand, with his stories from the heartland, like Raanjhanaa, Tanu Weds Manu and its sequel, has carved a niche for himself in Bollywood. What can we expect this time around? “Another story, another adventure, with a lot more heart and absolutely original,” he signs off.

Masaan actress makes her Tamil debut with National Award-winning writer Raju Murugan’s next film
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 5, 2019)

Shweta Tripathi who impressed in films like Masaan and Haramkhor, will now play the titular character in a Tamil film titled Mehandi Circus. Since Mehandi is a circus performer, the actress has trained with artistes as part of her prep. “I am really excited as this is my first Tamil film. I knew from books and shows that circus artistes don’t have it easy and now after spending time and learning from them, I’ve realised just how much effort goes into their death-defying acts. They don’t have good quality harnesses or any safety equipment and it’s only thanks to their sheer grit that they excel. Their lives are inspirational,” she asserts.

Shweta trained with professionals from various states, with one of the performers from the Theni district of Tamil Nadu, who helped her with a risky stunt. “I shot with a real circus troupe from Chinnamanur and Madurai, Raja Circus, and practiced little nuances like walking and bowing to the audience. I also learnt to throw the knife although I don’t have to do it in the film,” she informs.

A love story set in the ’90s, the film focuses on a relationship between a girl from the troupe and a youngster which blossoms when the travelling circus visits Kodaikanal. 

Upala KBR (DNA; April 14, 2017)

Sonu Sood will next be seen in a Tamil and a Telugu film. In Trivikram Srinivas’s untitled Telugu film, he’ll essay a suave, ruthless, unscrupulous business tycoon, while Santhana Bharathi’s untitled Tamil film will have him playing the leader of a militant group hiding in the forests of Madurai.

Role call
The Telugu film’s character sees him in a villain’s role yet again. Says Sonu, “It will be my third film with Trivikram; we’ve done Athadu and Julai before. In Julai, too, I played the villain.” But the Tamil film sees his character betraying complex shades. He says, “It’s all about survival of the fittest in a raw, and challenging landscape. The whole film will be shot in forests and we will camp out there. You can only shoot in May when water is available. It’s extremely hot, but I am looking forward to the shoot. It’s a challenge, but I love roughing it out. The story is more about people struggling to get their rights, surviving among the mud, heat and mosquitoes. I shot my first movie Kallazhagar in Madurai and with Bharathi’s film, I want to re-visit my memories,” he says.

Giving back to the South
For a Punjabi, he’s quite fluent with South languages. “I learn it from my friends as I ask them to talk to me all the time. I have done almost 40 movies in Tamil and Telugu and I switch easily from one language to another. I thoroughly enjoy the process as it keeps me on my toes. I remember a celebrity once telling me, ‘I think Sonu is from the South because he speaks the languages so fluently.' Doing films in the South is also my way of giving back to them. I plan to do at least one South film a year.”