Actor Abhishek Bachchan says Shoojit Sircar's films are like "a breath of fresh air" from what is often made in the Hindi film industry and working with the director on the upcoming movie "I Want To Talk" was a transformative experience.
Produced by Rising Sun Films and Kino Works, the slice-of-life drama is set to hit the screens worldwide on November 22.
Bachchan was all praise for Sircar, known for films such as "Vicky Donor", "Piku", "October", and "Sardar Udham".
"Shoojit da represents a cinema that is so very different from what we make in the Hindi film industry and that's a breath of fresh air. It's nice once in a while to pause, take a breath and just feel something instead of just being dictated to all the time...
"The experience of making a film with him is very transformative, not just physically... It's been a learning experience, life changing," the actor told reporters at the movie's music launch on Wednesday in Mumbai.
In the film, Bachchan plays Arjun, who is on the cusp of a life-altering surgery as he navigates a complex relationship with his daughter.
Sircar said "I Want To Talk" is based on his friend's life story.
"This is a slice-of-life film where relationships matter. Sometimes we regret we didn't communicate, we didn't talk our heart out. This film speaks about all those moments and the journey of the characters. It's all moments stitched together of your entire life and documented in 'I Want To Talk'," the director added.
Bachchan said all movies should be an emotional challenge for an actor regardless of the subject matter.
"It should push you, challenge you, give you sleepless nights. As artists, you need to push your boundaries. You need to try something that you haven't done before. It (this film) has been a challenge, but a challenge that I enjoyed doing."
His greatest takeaway from "I Want To Talk" was to be "fear free" and "do something different", he added.
"It reassures you as an actor that there's a little bit of space for everybody out there. I hope you all can find some sort of parallel in your own life (in this film). We're all stuck in the rut of life, we're doing what we're doing, we're enjoying. Some of us have got corporate jobs, some of us are artists, some of us do whatever we do.
"Life dictates to you what you should be doing and how you should be doing it. What's nice about doing a film like this with Shoojit da is that once in a while you can stop and say 'Hey, no, I can do something different, maybe I should try something different'. When that works out for you, there's nothing more rewarding."
While he loves doing traditional Indian films with the song-and-dance routine, the actor said it's nice "to take a slight detour, a scenic route and try something different" once in a while.
"Whatever you do in life, it is should be memorable. The success and failure of any endeavour in life, be it business, sports, films, it is not in your hands. What's in your hands is that the memory associated with making whatever you're doing. This film is way on the top of my filmography," he added.
Bachchan, 48, gained weight for the role of Arjun.
"I promise you from what you see (in the poster). I'm not in this shape anymore. That is me and there isn't any prosthetic," he said.
"Don't ever put on weight for a film again. Trust me, at my age, it gets very difficult to lose it after a while," he quipped.
"I Want To Talk" also stars Johny Lever and Ahilya Bamroo.
