Filmmaker Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, who debuted with hit movies like Aks (2001) and Rang De Basanti (2006), moved back to his small village in Maharashtra before the lockdown was announced. He took along his writing material and was with his family. He was disconnected from the newspapers but requested the post office for an Internet connection and started working on his next, Toofan starring Farhan Akhtar, Mrunal Thakur and Paresh Rawal, which will premiere on Amazon Prime soon.
Mehra says that the lockdown was quite liberating for him as he was working on the film for 20 hours a day without any disturbances. He even managed to establish an editing line with one of his editors, and the same with sound. This period provided him with space and time to finish other scripts.
The boxing-drama, Toofan, is his second film cast on the streets of Mumbai, and he is expecting a positive response from the audience. “It is a lovely story carried by a strong voice. Though it involved a lot of hard work, it was real fun working on it. Every moment on the set was enjoyable. I hope this feeling can be transferred to the audiences,” he said.
As a filmmaker who has explored diverse genres, he says that he is always excited about what he is going to tackle next. “There are so many things, I cannot even tell you. After finishing ‘Toofaan’, I am once again on the crossroads. There are multiple subjects that I have been working on for years. So much is flying around, not just in India but globally as well,” he added.
“So do you go with something which is very contemporary in today’s time or back to mythology and see if it is relevant for today? Now let’s not forget that too has been distorted. One can also work on a futuristic movie –maybe look at a utopian future which is a new happy society, and where women will be safe. And all these questions trouble me constantly,” the filmmaker said.
Mehra reveals his method of choosing the apt subject for the film and says that whatever gives him sleepless nights. “We all want to have a peaceful sleep, no? Doesn’t it make sense that you get over with what is making you stay awake?” Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra concludes.
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