Intimacy coordinator for the web series Mastram, Amanda Cutting, on what her presence on a film set means for aesthetics in a post - #MeToo world
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; May 3, 2020)

For the longest time, the most persistent imagery of sex on our screens was the visual of two flowers coming together. And yet, in a parallel universe, existed the erotic novels by Mastram that explored the vivid sexual experiences of the common Indian. Thus, it was essential for producers of a biographical series based on Mastram, to depict sex uninhibitedly — much like how Vatsayana’s Kamasutra meant for us to enjoy the experience.

Among the first things that producer Sunil Bohra and the OTT platform MX Player did was hire an intimacy co-ordinator, a first for the Indian entertainment industry.

Amanda Cutting, who has previously worked on an unaired prequel pilot for Game Of Thrones, The Magicians and The Good Doctor, was flown in from Canada for the job.

Cutting, locked down at her home in Calgary, Canada, tells mid-day in a telephonic interview that she had to mentally realign herself to Indian sensibilities to deliver an authentic show that stayed true to its muse. “The idea of bringing me down was to ensure that performers are confident doing intimate actions and feel safe during shooting. Because I had both prior directorial experience and have worked on shows with explicit sexual content, they felt like I was a good fit,” she says about the 10- episode series directed by Akhilesh Jaiswal, starring Anshuman Jha and Tara Alisha Berry.

Mastram is an adapted biopic based on the life of erotica writer Mastram. The show blends in experiences of his personal life and his stories. On the subject, Cutting says, “I was familiar with Mastram because my uncle is East Indian. But, as part of my research, I familiarised myself with the details of the script and understood the cultural milieu of the stories he wrote. I got [my hands on] some translated Mastram novels to understand how he created sexual tension. A lot of the choreography for these scenes was done keeping in mind the novel.”

The thing about depicting sex on screen, Amanda concedes, is to ensure that it’s sensual and arousing. “In this case, I had to help the audience use its imagination to finish off stories. Some of it was explicit, a lot of it was suggestive. And that often has a more seductive impact than a full naked body.”

She adds that she stayed away from Bollywood clichés. “The positions usually utilised were discarded. I brought in many Kamasutra positions that honoured Indian culture and don’t rely on the Westerner’s gaze. Different things are considered appealing for people in different cultures. It was a pleasant discovery that Indians like curvy women. As a full figured woman myself, it was refreshing to know that curves are sexy. Also, it was nice to realise that build-up and tension is valued. Indians understand foreplay. Delayed gratification is a significant tool in my line of work where we can drag an audience along for the ride and keep them excited. That’s where the sizzle lies.”

Cutting walks us through workshops and storyboards created for every scene that helped familiarise the cast with the choreography of an intimate scene. “It’s like dance prep where there are set moves which are orchestrated. So, where do the hands go, in what position should each performer be, what are the barriers so that private parts don’t graze. The better you know them, the safer you feel, the better you perform. Every detail was discussed thoroughly and after that there could be no changes. It also reduced the possibility of retakes.”

She says that work begins where a script would say “they make love passionately on the beach” “What does this entail? Will they be nude or under beach towels? The intent of the scene had to be clearly stated. Depending on the scene, there was a strict close-set protocol where only essential crew was allowed. A lovemaking scene usually had the two performers, the DOP, the sound recordist, the director and myself. Eliminating people was important to ensure a safe environment.”

In the post-#MeToo world, her own hiring, Cutting believes, helps establish the idea of setting boundaries for artistes. “Defining consent is top priority now. Every actor has different boundaries and my job was to ensure the scene supports the story and is not gratuitous. No actor should be compelled or pushed into a scene. Sometimes, producers, even in the West, would pressure to show more; something that the performer on that day may not have wanted to do. Productions might want to push them to hold up to their contract but my job is to ensure they feel safe and consequently negotiate on scenes. Sometimes changing shooting angles can help say the same story, without making anyone feel uncomfortable. I am now getting called at the audition level itself to familiarise actors with what they are walking into. They can say no right at the start if they wish.”

Debutant Vijay Gutte reveals why he chose to adapt a controversial book, refutes rumours of censor trouble
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 17, 2018)

How did you come up with the idea of adapting Sanjaya Baru’s 2014 memoir of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, The Accidental Prime Minister, as your first directorial?
Sunil Bohra (producer) had the rights since 2014 and offered the film to me. I read the book and requested a meeting with Sanjaya Baru. We discussed it for seven straight days and by the end of this marathon discussion, I felt like I was working at the PMO myself (Baru, an ex-journalist and political commentator had been the media advisor and the chief spokesperson of Manmohan Singh during his first term in office from May 2004 to August 2008). I love the way this power game works and since I was always inclined towards politics, my interactions with Sanjaya convinced me that we could turn his bestseller into an amazing film.

What’s National Award-winning director Hansal Mehta’s role in the project?
He’s the creative producer and helped me stay calm. He taught me how to be patient on set and had an important role to play in the casting, which took nine months to lock. Hansal saw the journey through with me.

Was it difficult getting Anupam Kher, who is affiliated to the BJP, on board to play Manmohan Singh?
I gave Anupam Sanjaya’s book and showed him a poster I had conceptualised. He loved it and agreed to do the film on the condition that he liked the script. I worked on it for three months with Mayank Tewari (co-writer) and sent it to him. He instantly came on board.

And Akshaye Khanna?
Akshaye is a thinking actor and being from a family that has been in politics, he understood both the script and the rajneeti. But he took his time to give his nod. He wanted to know minute details of everything that had happened during Manmohan Singh’s tenure. I was careful not to show him Sanjaya’s picture as he was the only character I could play around with. I couldn’t fictionalise Manmohan Singh, Sonia and Rahul Gandhi and others who are public figures, but people don’t know Sanjaya; I could give him a cinematic touch.

Wasn’t the film to open on December 21 with Shah Rukh Khan’s Zero. Why was it pushed to next year?
We were not able to finish the post production as I was working simultaneously on the Hindi and English versions. Also, there is a huge amount of VFX involved. We wrapped up the shoot on October 27 and I thought the final print would be locked in 30 days. That didn’t happen.

Buzz is, the film ran into censor trouble.
I am still locking the final cut after which we will go to the censors.

What if you are asked by the CBFC to get a NOC from Manmohan Singh and other political leaders shown or mentioned in the film?
There is no such law. We can go to the High Court and get the film released without getting a NOC. Did they ask for a NOC from Bhagat Singh during The Legend of Bhagat Singh? Manmohan Singh as a PM was a public figure, so no one can take away my right to make a movie on his tenure.

Following a resurgent Congress’s recent wins in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, won’t it be difficult for you to ensure a smooth release in these states?
These are just assumptions because I don’t know what is going to happen. None of us knew that the Congress would win in these states. If there are problems, we will face them when the time comes.

But it will release in the election year. Doesn’t that make you apprehensive?
Patriotic films release around Independence Day or Republic Day, action films around Eid. Likewise, releasing a film on politics in the year of elections is a well-thought-out decision.

But since the story touches on several scams that took place under the reign of Congress, you’re playing with fire…
Everything happened in the public domain, whether it was 2G, 3G, or the coal scam. There was something wrong which is why the Congress lost the last election by the biggest ever margin. It’s all there in the film but tackled sensitively. And at the end of the day, it is an entertaining film, not a documentary.

What next?
For the last year-and-a-half, I was only focussed on making an honest film. This is the first time a film like this has been made in India or even the world as it’s on people who are still active in politics and will soon go out to ask people for votes. So, I haven’t had the time to think about the next thing. 

Biopic on the life of Trishneet Arora, who mastered the art at 19, in the works; slated to kick off mid-2019
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 7, 2018)

Biopics are the flavour of the season and here’s an upcoming addition to the list. Sunil Bohra has bought the rights to the true-life story of Trishneet Arora who mastered the art of ethical hacking at the age of 19, set up his own company and started assisting corporates in the IT sector, the Punjab and Gujarat police force and the CBI to crack down on cyber-crime.

The film is slated to go on the floors by mid-2019, while a team of writers is currently working on developing the screenplay. “It’s for the producer to decide if he wants to fictionalize some incidents in my life. I don’t mind them giving my story a cinematic touch as I have full confidence that they will present it in a way that inspires the youth,” says Trishneet.

One of the youngest authors in the world to write a book on ethical hacking, he has been in talks with Sunil and his writers since the last one year. “I was a little sceptical initially, but then I considered the larger picture,” admits Trishneet, who is among the youngest Indians to feature on Forbes 30 Under-30 list. “Fame is a big responsibility and prompts me to work harder. A leader is not someone who leads but the one who creates the part,” he philosophises.

And does he have a particular actor in mind to play him on screen? “That’s the producer’s call,” he reiterates, adding, “I don’t have a wishlist nor do I have a specific name in mind.” Meanwhile, the producer says he plans to approach an A-List star for the titular role. 

MUMBAI MIRROR (June 7, 2017)

The Accidental Prime Minister is a political-drama that re-animates for the silver screen the 2014 memoir of the same name by Sanjaya Baru (PM Manmohan Singh’s media advisor).

Producer Sunil Bohra, who’s production house Bohra Bros aspires to make path-breaking cinema, has chosen this subject for his next film and has entrusted the film to debutante director Vijay Ratnakar Gutte.

The exploits of this memoir embraces clandestine events to open aberrations that made up for the first and second term of UPA (United Progressive Alliance) government. And there are mentions of the reported scandals, scams and other details on the white-paper leadership. This thrilling political feature is bound to have the audience glued to the screen.

The lead is played by the legendary Anupam Kher, a household name who is known for his monumental contribution in defining the Bollywood landscape for 35 years, both in mainstream as well as theatre. Kher has also represented our nation on the global playground with multiple Golden Globe and Oscarn ominated movies.

Gutte says, “I’m obliged to get a hold on this story. I truly believe that it has to be told with honesty and integrity. Also a script as magnanimously relevant as this needed a perfect actor. I feel that the depth of maturity and demeanour required to portray the prime minister can only be embodied by the versatile veteran Anupam sir.”

Kher, on his part, adds, “Acting the role of anyone in contemporary history is extremely challenging as comparisons are bound to be instant and inevitable. But I’ve always revelled in challenges. From my first film Saaransh I’ve always looked forward to the experience of portraying PM Manmohan Singh.

Ankur Pathak (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 20, 2015)\

Ankur Pathak (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 1, 2014)

After Ragini MMS and Darr @ the Mall, director Pawan Kripalani is gearing up for a supernatural thriller. The film, tentatively titled Blue Blood, is about a royal family in Rajasthan and the extensive poaching of endangered species which is prevalent in the state.

Speaking to Mirror, Pawan says, "The film essentially deals with crimes against animals and how nature avenges these deaths, turning a festive period macabre. It is a controversial issue but no other filmmaker has documented it in a film."

The director who is making the film for Sunil Bohra and Ravindra Singh reveals that he will put forward the point of view of Rajasthan's Bishnoi community which worships black bucks, among other wild animals.

Salman Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, Sonali Bendre and Neelam have been accused in the alleged poaching of two black bucks on the night of October 12, 1998. They had allegedly gone hunting while shooting for Sooraj Barjatya's Hum Saath Saath Hain. Will there be any real life parallels in the film?

"My film takes a stand against the killing of animals. There's a lot of subtext to the story, but there won't be any direct references," says Pawan. He however admits that the idea originated from the on-going case. "However, the film will not delve into the specific case. It borders on the supernatural and doesn't touch upon the legal space."

He adds, "I will be meeting members of the Bishnoi community to understand the intricacies of their lives. Their point of view has never been put across in a mainstream Hindi film. It's an ensemble cast and we are still in the process of finalising the actors".

"The film will be shot in one start-tofinish schedule near Jodhpur and should roll in February," he adds.

Roshmilla Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 30, 2014)

Freida Pinto's Trishna, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2011 and opened in the United Kingdom and Ireland on March 9, 2012, is finally gearing up for an early 2015 release in India. Refuting rumours that it was eyeing the Republic Day weekend and coming up against Akshay Kumar's Baby and the Bhatts' Khamoshiyan, Sunil Bohra, co-producer and distributor of the film, says, "We are looking at January 30 which at the moment is a clear window. Even if any other film comes up, it won't be as crowded as the last few weeks have been."

Written, directed and co-produced by Michael Winterbottom, this British-Swedish-Indian drama is loosely based on Thomas Hardy's classic, Tess of the d'Urbervilles. The film is set in contemporary Rajasthan where Jay Singh (Riz Ahmed) comes to work in the hotel owned by his British father. He is attracted to an innocent girl (Freida Pinto) whom he offers a job. Left with little means to support her family, she takes up the offer. He later rapes and impregnates her, then when she runs away, tracks her down and coaxes her to accompany him to Mumbai. This sets the pattern for the relationship which gets increasingly abusive.

Anurag Kashyap and Guneet Monga were the line-producers during the film's shoot in India and Vasan Bala was Winterbottom's associate director. "It's a fascinating story and we are happy it is finally coming to India," Guneet told Mirror.

Bohra admits that he had not seen any of Winterbottom's films but when Anurag, who is a good friend, urged him to bring Trishna to India, he agreed. "Besides the UK and Ireland, it has only done the rounds of the festival circuits. The Indian version has been cut differently. It will only be around 90 minutes long as compared to the 113-minute-long international version. It's more fast-paced and will have all the songs in their entirety-including the Huma Qureshi item number choreographed by Ganesh Acharya. I can give people a DVD of the international cut and ask them to compare the two," he says.

The film also has some graphic and brutal sex scenes. While the censors abroad are more liberal, will the Central Board of Film Certification pass them? "The scenes are a part of the story-telling and part of the narrative. They take the story forward, the underlying emotions will be evident. We will go to the censors on Monday and will leave it to them to decide. But none of these scenes will appear in the promos because the intention is not to titillate and use them as crowdpullers."

And will Freida, who apparently wants the intimate scenes to be toned down, come to India to promote the film? Freida's spokesperson says that her schedule will not allow it. "The release date has just been announced and the producers are still working on the promotional plan. Freida will not be in India for the release due to prior commitments but she will do what she can in terms of pre-release promotions based on her schedule.

Ankur Pathak (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 20, 2014)

While each of them have created a flutter in Bollywood with their independent projects, this motley bunch of filmmakers are coming together for the first time to direct a single feature film. It will be a two-hour-long feature divided in seven segments.

Mirror has learnt that Sunil Bohra has signed Anurag Kashyap, Hansal Mehta, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Sudhir Mishra and Vasan Bala to direct a 15-minute segment each, based on the seven cardinal sins - wrath, envy, gluttony, avarice, lust, sloth and pride. Bohra is on the lookout for two more directors to complete the team.

Says a source close to the production, "The idea is to promote the concept of short films by giving it a mainstream treatment and collaborate with some of the top names of the industry. Bala has already written a story on sloth."

Hansal Mehta confirmed the news. "Yes, we will be collaborating on this yet-to-be-titled project. I will be doing a film on gluttony as it also happens to be my personal weakness," he laughed, adding, "My story should be ready within a week. The film rolls next month."

Sudhir Mishra quipped, "Envy is my sin!" On probing further, he said: "I am making a film on it as I feel envy is an extremely strong emotion - one that can do the maximum damage. I always enjoy doing short films and this is an exciting collaboration because of the concept and the people involved."

While Anurag Kashayp couldn't be reached for a comment, Bohra told us, "Anurag has informed me that he will take up whichever theme remains unselected by the others."

Asked what inspired the unique concept, he said: "There are several stories which are better told through a short film. My company Bohra Bros. will give it a proper release and based on the response, we plan to get seven other directors to make a similar film on the seven virtues as well."

Asira Tarannum (MID-DAY; May 10, 2014)

Morning shows of the film, Mastram, were cancelled across the city. Apparently, the film wasn’t screened at any cinema hall before Friday noon. Ironically, ticket portal, Book My Show, was said to be accepting ticket bookings for the morning show, despite the cancellation.

A moviegoer, who went to catch the first show of the film at Movie Time in Matunga, laments, “I wanted to watch the film in the morning. But when I came to the theatre to buy the tickets, I was told about the morning shows getting cancelled.”

Sunil Bohra, the film’s producer, said, “We got our certificate from the Censor Board quite late last night, so the film’s print couldn’t reach theatres in time for the morning shows.” He added that audiences who had bought tickets for the morning shows will be reimbursed. However, at the time of going to press, no refunds for the morning shows had been made.

Parag Maniar (BOMBAY TIMES; May 6, 2014)

Rahul Bagga, who plays the title character in upcoming film Mastram, says it was disturbing to play a porn writer, albeit on screen. He says, “We’ve all had innocent fantasies while young. Looking back as grown-ups, we laugh them off. But if these fantasies turn sexual, the natural tendency is to suppress them. In that sense, it was not easy playing someone who has no inhibitions. The scene where my character fantasises about his wife and best friend was particularly tough. But he has no choice. He has to continue writing.”

Mastram bases his erotic fantasies on whatever he observes around him — Baniye ka lollipop, Sheela ka yowan, airhostess ki kaamuk udaan, hospital mein pehli suhaag raat... the list is long. However, the actor says that more than the role, it was the ideology of the script that fascinated him. “The script exposes the hypocrisy in our society. Everybody will be fine as long as you conform to the norms. But the moment you cross the line, people will look down upon you, even though they may secretly enjoy what you are doing,” he says. Producer Sunil Bohra adds, “The film is not a crass entertainer. It has a meaningful story that even the female audience will like.” The film has been presented by Sunil Jain’s A Jar Pictures Production.

Mastram, a Bohra Bros Production, releases May 9.

Parag Maniar (BOMBAY TIMES; April 27, 2014)

After backing critically acclaimed ventures like Gangs Of Wasseypur, Shaitan and Shahid, Bohra Bros Production is ready with their next outing, Mastram.

The film revolves around Rahul (played by Rahul Bagga), who wants to become an established writer. When he finds no takers for his serious stories, he starts writing pornography under the pseudonym Mastram. The books sell like hotcakes in his hometown in Himachal Pradesh and the writer, whose identity is still a secret, becomes popular. But once Rahul reveals the truth about himself, the same hypocritical society looks down upon him.

Interestingly, there’s a real-life Mastram who is yet to come out in the open. Says debutant director Akhilesh Jaiswal, “Mastram books are published even today and have a large readership in the North. I have read his books as a student. It’s his writing that inspired me to make this fictional biography.”

The filmmaker adds that he wants to convey a message through the film, which is presented by Sunil Jain and A Jar Pictures Production. He explains, “A porn writer is not a bad person. Also, the fact is that these books do sell. This movie also exposes our society’s double standards.”

Producer Sunil Bohra says, “I read Mastram even today. There are no images, but the books still succeed in creating a fantasy because of their impressive use of Hindi.”

Mastram releases May 9.

Bharati Dubey (MID-DAY; April 23, 2014)

A day after Shiv Sena objected to the posters of the film, Mastram, being put up on BEST buses, BEST chairman, Arun Dudhwadkar, has asked the film’s producers to remove some objectionable lines from the posters.

Arun Dudhwadkar tells hitlist , “We have asked them to delete a Hindi line from the posters which goes something like this: ‘If you don’t know about Mastram, please ask your father and uncle about him’. We felt that these lines would corrupt children’s minds.” However, Dudhwadkar emphasises that they have not asked the makers to withdraw their posters.

It seems that Mastram’s advertising agency had booked around 100 BEST buses for promoting the film.
BEST is said to charge around Rs 10,000 per bus; this means that producer Sunil Bohra has already paid them Rs 10 lakh for his film’s promotion. And while Bohra says that he has already made the required changes, a source close to the agency says, “Taking heed of the objections that have been raised, we have now put up white stickers on these buses in order to block out these lines.” But Akshay Bardapurkar, general secretary, Shiv Sena Chitrapat Sena, insists that he wants the posters to be removed rather than censored.

He says, “We have requested the chairman to take strong action against the posters. But now it is BEST’s prerogative to take suitable action as per their rules and regulations.”

Bharati Dubey (MID-DAY; April 22, 2014)

The cine wing of Shiv Sena has objected to posters of Sunil Bohra’s film, Mastram, being put up on BEST buses. Akshay Bardapurkar, general secretary of Shiv Sena Chitrapat Sena, tells hitlist , “It is one thing to offer an adult film star such as Sunny Leone a new lease of life in our film industry and another to use government machinery (read: BEST buses) to promote porn writing.”

He says that he has spoken to BEST chairman, Arun Dudhwadkar, about the same. “Recently, a student asked one of my friends, a school principal, about porn writing after seeing the film’s poster on a BEST bus. My friend then brought it to our notice. Now we have decided to take action against the medium that is being used to propagate porn. We also want to view the film before it is released, as we are quite upset about its alleged content as well.”

When contacted, producer Sunil Bohra said, “I don’t know about Shiv Sena’s objection. Indian Motion Pictures’ Producers Association, (IMPPA) has already cleared my film’s posters. In fact, when our agency informed us about an objection to the line, ‘The legend of porn writing is back’, in the film’s poster, we immediately deleted the same as we didn’t want to hurt anyone’s sentiments.”

Gaurav Dubey (MID-DAY; April 10, 2014)

If all goes per plan, the pornographic cartoon character Savita Bhabhi will soon be made into a film. In the meantime, its makers are taking legal action against Mastram producer Sunil Bohra over alleged copyright infringement. Says a source, “In the film Mastram, there is a character called Savita, and her role shares many similarities with the Savita Bhabhi. This is a clear case of copyright violation.”

Nitin Gupta, producer of the film, Savita Bhabhi, says, “The character of Savita Bhabhi was created in 2002 in UK and soon after, the comic strip was banned in India. Yet it is a character that enjoys a huge fan following in India. We now own the rights to make a Hindi film based on Savita Bhabhi; we bagged the rights in December last year.”

Gupta recounts that Mastram’s producer Sunil Bohra had called him earlier as he wished to own the rights to the character. “I told him that we didn’t wish to do so. Yet he has chosen to go ahead and feature a character called Savita in his film. This is a violation of copyrights; we want him to take off this character from his film,” says Gupta. He adds that the UKbased creators and copyright owners of Savita Bhabhi (Media Farm Limited) have sent a legal notice regarding this to the Bohra brothers. “It has been sent on behalf of Media Farm Limited and my production house,” he says.

When contacted, Sunil Bohra said, “I have not received any legal notice as of now; if he wishes to send me one, I know how to handle it. This is just a publicity stunt, as I own the film title, Savita Bhabhi. In fact, I had it registered with IMPPA (Indian Motion Pictures Producers Association) more than two years ago. Savita is just a character in this film.”

Sonali Joshi Pitale (MID-DAY; April 5, 2014)

Sunil Bohra’s film, Mastram, was supposed to release on May 1 along with Rajinikanth’s Kochadaiiyaan. But now it has emerged that his film has been delayed by a week. Mastram will now release on May 9.

Last week, Bohra, who is the film’s producer, had said that he was okay with his film clashing with Rajini’s epic, but now he tells hitlist that his film is not yet ready for release. “I need more time to work on the film’s publicity. Also, its post-production work is taking time. I don’t want to compromise on my film; I’d rather release it a week later,” he says.

He asserts that he was not worried about taking on Rajini’s film. “That’s not the reason behind the film’s delay. It’s just that we are shooting a new promotional song this week. If I release my film on May 1, that leaves me with little time to promote the film and the song,” he explains.

With Mastram’s release being pushed ahead, only Super Nani and Purani Jeans will release alongside Rajini’s film on May 1. Bohra adds that he is now working on a new version of the Punjabi song, Baba Ve Kala Maror. The song will feature lead actors Rahul Bagga and Tara-Alisha Berry.

Ankur Pathak (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 20, 2014)

From D and Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai to D-Day, there have been several films on Dawood Ibrahim. And now there’s one more, but with a different spin to it, or so the director claims.

Mirror has learnt that Sunil Bohra who co-produced films like Gangs of Wasseypur and Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster, is all set to direct a film revolving around India’s most wanted terrorist.

Bohra has written the screenplay that traces the journey of an Indian who goes to Pakistan to meet Dawood who he idolises. TV actor Pawan Shankar of Kasamh Se fame, plays this role. Casting director Mukesh Chhabra is on the lookout for an actor to play Dawood. Bohra will also be producing and distributing the film to avoid any “creative interference.”

When contacted, Bohra confirmed the news saying, “Yes, it’s true that I’m making a slice-of-life film on Dawood Ibrahim and the underworld. In a way, this film is a tribute to him. I want to bring to the fore the other side of these gangsters, an aspect that is hardly explored in our cinema. I've done extensive research on Dawood's life to get all the details right, but the film will be a work of fiction."

He intends to shoot the film in Pakistan. It will be made on a shoestring budget of around Rs 1 crore. “I want to complete the film in 20 days. I will be shooting it in Pakistan for five days and the rest of the film will be canned in Mumbai,” he said.

In the past, Bohra had attempted to direct a film titled Jeetengey Hum with Arbaaz Khan and Arshad Warsi in the lead. But it never made it to the theatres.