After staring off in Marathi cinema by directing Hrudayantar (2017) and Smile Please (2019), Vikram Phadnis is now all set to bring his Hindi directorial debut Pal Bhar Ke Liye at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM). The film, which stars Saiyami Kher, Viineet Kumar Siingh and Tahir Raj Bhasin, will have its world premiere down under on August 16.
Sharing what this means to him, Phadnis told Bollywood Hungama exclusively from Melbourne, “I think every filmmaker wants a global platform. He wants the film to have a higher reach. We are just fortunate that in the films that got selected in 2026 at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne, Pal Bhar Ke Liye was one of them. It’s a word premiere; it’s not the Australian premiere. It’s a validation, gratification. It’s a whole lot of emotions that come together to see that your film is worthy of that global platform.”
Phadnis recalled that he gave up (doing) costumes in cinema in 2007 after Salaam-e-Ishq to tell stories. He said that doing a couple of Marathi films gave him a lot of confidence to know that he can now dabble into Hindi cinema. “My experience in Marathi cinema has given me a lot of knowledge on the dos and don’ts while I step into the Hindi medium,” he said.
When Phadnis announced the news about Pal Bhar Ke Liye going to IFFM on social media, he described it as, “A story I have carried in my heart for a long time…”. When asked if he would like to elaborate on this, he shared the emotional reason behind the film saying, “It’s a film I wrote for my mother while she was alive. It’s a journey of her last four years. It’s not her autobiography. It’s an inspiration from my mother’s last four years of life and what she went through. So, what you saw in my Instagram post was that my father always wanted me to make this film. I lost him last year. The film is about my mother but it is for my father.”
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Phadnis has got Himesh Reshammiya on board to compose the music for Pal Bhar Ke Liye. One associates the composer with a certain kind of music. “He will pleasantly surprise you,” said Phadnis. “He has done magic in the film. I don’t want to say anything. I think closer to the trailer release you will realize why I chose Himesh Reshammiya.”
Speaking about the casting, Phadnis said that Viineet Kumar Singh’s act in Chhaava was a major reason why he cast him. “I loved Viineet Kumar in it,” he said. “I didn’t know him. I wanted him to play Angad’s character. I directly reached out to him. That’s how Viineet Kumar got this role. There was no audition. After Chhaava, I saw Superboys Of Malegaon. I just knew he would be great in the character of Angad Sharma.”
Phadnis shared that Tahir Raj Bhasin came into the film just a week before it went on floors. “I was looking at someone who had the vulnerability and strength and good dialogue delivery. He is a Delhi boy. His Hindi is excellent. He landed up with the role because we have all seen his body of work; what he has done in earlier times. I wanted someone who had a vulnerable face, yet show strength,” he said.
When it came to Saiyami, Phadnis said, “Saiyami was planted in my film. It was like somebody just gave me Saiyami. It was not like she was my first and last choice. Of course, every director keeps options. But I knew Saiyami had a hunger to prove. I knew there was a lot within her to explore. I am glad I took that decision because there is a breath of fresh air. You don’t see Saiyami with a pre-conceived notion that she will perform in a certain way. It was just so beautiful because she gave me exactly what I wanted,” he said.
Phadnis’ first two Marathi films were emotional in nature. Same is the case with Pal Bhar Ke Liye. When asked whether he is always drawn towards emotional stories, he said unhesitatingly, “It is the only genre I know. I knew I wanted my next film to be romantic. Because I am an emotional person, I can’t do films with action and humour. I don’t think I am cut out for that. I want to tell stories. I like drama and emotions and that is why you saw that in my earlier films and will see in this film also.”
Phadnis said that they haven’t decided yet on the release of Pal Bhar Ke Liye. He said he and the producers will discuss this on the flight from Melbourne. “We just want the world to absorb the film. We are hoping for a great response here in Melbourne. We want people to lap the film up and know that we are taking a story to the world. We are not just making a project. Pal Bhar Ke Liye is not a project; it’s cinema with a heart,” he said and signed off.
Also Read: Vikram Phadnis’ Pal Bhar Ke Liye heads to IFFM for world premiere; Viineet Kumar Siingh REACTS!
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