Anubhav Sinha carved a niche for himself with films like Mulk (2018), Article 15 (2019) and Thappad (2020). He’s now back with another hard-hitting flick, Assi. In an exclusive interview with Bollywood Hungama, the talented filmmaker opened up about Assi, its marvelous casting and a lot more.
Your titles often have numbers – Dus (2005), Ra.One (2015), Article 15 and now Assi! Is this a conscious decision, or are you drawn to numerical titles?
Recently, my co-writer Gaurav Solanki brought up that the title of a lot of my films have numbers. I am not aware if this is a coincidence or a fetish. Maybe this happens because of my engineering background (laughs). What I consciously know is that I like single-word titles. Even Article 15 is one word.
Did you ever consider naming the film Mulk 2, considering it's a courtroom drama with Taapsee Pannu once again playing a lawyer?
When we started, we never considered it. Strangely, reports started circulating that my next film is called Mulk 2. To be honest, it was a fleeting thought whether naming the film as Mulk 2 was a good idea. But then we decided not to go ahead with that thought. That fleeting thought was also inspired by those news items.
The motion poster features the names of the principal cast and it adds a lot of weight to the film. What is the secret behind it? How do you manage to get such an ensemble cast every time in your films or shows?
These actors are friends. I have realized that I end up calling them even if the parts are small because they are friends. In Assi, Naseer bhai (Naseeruddin Shah), Seema Pahwa ji and Supriya Pathak Kapur ji play very, very small parts. I had the audacity to even call them on short notice and tell them, ‘Please do it for me’. I don’t know why they like me! I am eternally grateful to them just for doing these parts but also for all the love they give to me.
I actually called Supriya ji 2 days before the shoot of her scene. I asked her, ‘Ek scene ka role hai. Aap karogi?’. She replied, ‘Yes, sure. Why not?’. She asked what the scene was and then she flew all the way from Mumbai and did the scene. Likewise for Seema ji and Naseer bhai.
How was it working with Taapsee Pannu for the third time?
It was a delight. I am very interested in working with those who are pleasant on sets and with whom you don’t have to worry about how the person is feeling when the set is being lit up and when it’s taking longer than required. I also tend to get inclined towards people who are foodies. Taapsee is also a foodie. Whenever there is a delay, Taapsee and I dream about food or order food! Suddenly, one of us will order 35 cups of ice cream at 2 in the morning!
By the time filmmakers finish making a film, they have zero objectivity left. They completely rely on what others are saying about the film. For months, what remains with you is the memory of the making of the film. Hence, you end up casting those with whom you are really working. Taapsee is one of the favourites as she is a joy to work with.
A casting that has caught attention is that of Kani Kusruti. Was she the original choice and what can we expect from her?
To be absolutely truthful to you, when we started writing, certain names did pop up in my head. But when I sat down with Mukesh Chhabra, Kani was a very serious name that he brought up. Going by that, she was the original choice.
You can expect a fantastic performance from her. She is a wonderful person to work with who lights up the screen. She has got a great part.
More Pages: Assi Box Office Collection , Assi Movie Review
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