Onir has the talent to put across the right idea at the right place with the perfect set of talents, says Mansi Bhansali
The director of internationally acclaimed movies like Chauranga and I am, Onir is coming up with his new movie Shab and he decided to share some interesting details about the movie. “Shab is very special for me because it’s my first script which I wrote in 2000. At that point, the movie was considered bold and this continued till 2014. But I decided enough of this waiting — and I made this film. It’s good to be back in Delhi where we shot the film over one year. Delhi has been a great city in terms of supporting. My background music director and the lead actor are also from Delhi. Arpita is a well-known actor in Kolkata and I’m fortunate that’s she selected my film for her Bollywood debut,” said he.
Shab means night. “When we come out from a dark area, what we initially see is just dark but gradually it takes the shape of the character. Similarly, through the journey of the film, you will discover more and more about the characters. Also, 80 per cent of the film was shot at night,” said Onir, justifying the title.
Actor, Sanjay Suri debuts as a producer with Shab. “We are happy to be here in Delhi, where 100 per cent of this film was shot. Onir, the man behind this movie, waited for 17 years to get this script on screen. I was always there to support him,” he said. Suri considers himself the creative producer of the movie. “From the idea to the casting and from production to release is being managed by us as independent producers.”
The star cast also includes Ashish Bisht who makes his film debut after modelling in commercials for Parle, Ponds and Castrol. He say, “I’m from East Delhi and whenever I visit the capital I remember myself roaming around Delhi with my portfolio to get into modelling. I always wanted to be in Bollywood. When celebrities came for promotions, I envied them. And now it feels amazing to be sitting here. I totally related to my character as we share the same struggle of being a model,” said he.
Arpita Chatterjee is also debuting in Bollywood with the movie. With hits like Deva and Pratibad in Bengali cinema, Chatterjee is keeping her fingers crossed for Shab. “I’m from Bengal but Delhi has become my second home. I’ve a strong association and connection with this city. This film is about nurturing dreams which for Ashish has come true. It deals with the forbidden dreams and passion of people who have come from different walks of life. We all are running after money and fame. At times, we can achieve and sometimes we can’t. When I read the script I loved it,” said Chatterjee.
Onir commented on coming out from the genre of art films and trying his hands at commercial films, “I don’t think Bas Ek Pal or My Brother..Nikhil were art house films. Somehow because of the content, I’ve been bracketed as such. My narratives and music since my first film was mainstream, I don’t believe that I have the ability to produce a real art house film. I make films that have some sense of reality.”
Despite having a theme which is similar to movies like Fashion and Calender Girls, Onir said Shab is unique. He said, “It is not only about the fashion industry. It’s about people coming to Delhi to fulfil their dreams and one of them happens to be the character who wants to be a model but the example of Arpita and Simon Frenay, who works as a waitress in a cafeteria and as a French teacher, respectively also struggle for their ambitions. So, fashion is just a small backdrop of one of the characters. Its more about relationship, desires and journey one goes through.”
After playing a revengeful mother in Maatr, Raveena Tandon is back as a fashion patron in Shab. “When I wrote this script in 2000, I met Sanjay and Raveena on the set of Daman. And then I imagined them and completed my script. After I restarted Shab, I approached Raveena and convincing her was not difficult as she already knew the role,” said Onir. The movie depicts a relationship between an older woman and a much-younger boy. Onir said, “In most of our movies we see men older than women, why don’t you ask the question at that time.”
Onir has casted new comers in the roles. He explained, “For Shab I needed someone with an innocent face to showcase the struggle. I auditioned for one and a half year. Even in my next film, I’m working with two new comers. I want to introduce new faces to the industry who do not just carry a surname but also talent. The existing nepotism in the industry will grow further if we won’t cast newcomers.” The movie has been selected to open the Indian Film Festival in Sydney on August 18th and it will be the closing film at the Melbourne Indian Film Festival on August 22nd.
Turning producer was not easy for Soni.. He said , “Acting was always my first love while production is much larger participation and a feeling of ownership. Because of ownership, there comes a responsibility too, while acting you can sometimes blame the other person but in production, your neck is on the line. I’ve thought of directing but when and how I don’t know. I will be acting in My Birthday Song which will be a psychological thriller directed by Sameer Soni.”
Bisht was not aware that he needed acting lessons to be a part of the industry. “I’m from a middle-class and I saved money to get to Mumbai. I worked along with theatre. In Mumbai, advertisements came more easily. I was nervous while filming the intimate scenes with Raveenaji. So, Raveena and Arpita use to advise me to feel free and not to think much.”