Abhay Deol on his next, which is inspired by World Cup win of India’s Under-14 rugby team and features him as coach Rudraksha Jena
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 26, 2019)

On Friday, Abhay Deol posted a picture on Instagram with the caption, “Some mornings be like! Just one of them days ya know?” and appended it with the hashtag #tired and #overworked. Turns out the actor has just wrapped up his next film, Jungle Cry, after a hectic shoot. The real-life story of Rudraksha Jena and the historic win of the Under-14 rugby team of the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences’ (KISS) in 2007, was filmed in Wales and London during November and December. Emily Shah, former Miss New Jersey (2014) who assisted on Captain America 2, Clint Eastwood’s Jersey Boys and Fast & Furious 7, plays a physiotherapist and Abhay’s leading lady.

The actor’s character is modelled on the Indian coach, Rudraksha, and he admits that rugby isn’t a common sport in India. “What makes the win even more impressive is that these kids were football players who had just four months to learn rugby and still managed to lift the World Cup in the UK. This is an underdog story of success and that’s what made it attractive to me,” he says.

Abhay admits that while he was familiar with rugby, he didn’t follow the sport closely and underwent training for months before the film went on the floors. He is quick to add that his trials were nothing compared to what the kids went through. “While shooting in rainy Wales in five degrees temperature, I could wear my jacket over my tracks and root them on, screaming, ‘Come on boys, run and jump,’ while they were shivering in their shorts,” he reminisces. “But be it Emily or Sagar Ballary (director), everyone was heart-warmingly earnest because we were all inspired by the story. This is a story we all wanted the world to know.”

Quiz him on his encounter with his real-life counterpart and Abhay says he was really motivated by the work Rudraksha has been doing. “We also have British footballer Paul Walsh and Dr Achyuta Samanta, who runs KISS, on board. All these guys live to better the lives of others. Paul has his own outfit in Kolkata that trains street kids who rarely get an opportunity to showcase their talent. Sports is an opportunity that comes out of poverty in many parts of the world and I respect these guys for creating a future for these boys,” Abhay asserts.

Associate producer Shabbir Boxwala informs that the film is currently in post-production. “We plan to enter it for the Cannes Film Festival in March,” he informs.

Hiren Kotwani (BOMBAY TIMES; March 23, 2014)

After making comedies like Bheja Fry (2007), Bheja Fry 2 (2011) and Hum Tum Shabana (2011), director Sagar Ballary is ready to turn producer as well. He has started a banner, Flower Film Family Pvt Ltd, with childhood friend Hemal Shah. “The idea is to make films we believe in, for the youth and family audiences,” says Sagar.

Incidentally, Sagar’s first production Bhatukali is in Marathi. Helmed by his former assistant Rohit Joshi, the film, featuring Ajinkya Deo, Shilpa Tulaskar, Smita Talwalkar and Kiran Karmarkar among others, is in its post-production stage. “It’s a family drama with a crazy twist in the end. The script is such that it wouldn’t have worked in Hindi,” says the filmmaker, who is planning to release it after the general elections.

His next directorial venture How Many Times Can You Fall In Love? is about a guy who doesn’t believe in love eventually falling hard for someone. The film, a bilingual, will be made in English and Hindi. “I’ll be casting fresh faces; it’s a fun script about youngsters just out of college, figuring out their lives,” says the filmmaker.

Pyaar Ka Bhoot, a spooky comedy about a mortician (funeral director/undertaker) is also in the pipeline. “This man works with dead people, talks to them… It’s a surreal and dark comedy, which also addresses the issue of extra-marital affairs,” he says. Vinay Pathak will play the middle-aged protagonist.