Best of the films are not made by an assembled crew, but a team that comes together as a family. Superstar Hrithik Roshan has come on board to present his acting coach Vinod Rawat's feature directorial debut Pushtaini, set to hit the big screen on June 21. Vinod has been associated with Hrithik since the superstar's acclaimed 2017 film Kaabil and has worked with him on Super 30, Vikram Vedha, War and this year's Fighter, to name a few.
Pushtaini, which had its South Asia premiere at the 2023 Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival, features a winning cameo by actor Rajkummar Rao. The drama film also marks Vinod Rawat's feature debut as an actor, director, writer and producer.
"Vinod Rawat's Pushtaini left me completely awestruck," Hrithik Roshan said as he recalled the first time he saw the film last year.
Pushtaini follows the life of Bhuppi (Rawat), a struggling actor, who is desperate to secure his last chance at stardom after he finds himself caught in an embarrassing scandal. Forced to return to his home and face his past, Bhuppi travels through the mountains and shares adventures with strangers, unaware of what the journey has in store for him.
"Vinod was not only exceptional as an actor, playing Bhuppi with all his heart, but also displayed an incredible command over the craft as a director. I was bowled over by how he wore all the hats and delivered a film full of moments that stayed with me long after the screen faded to black. I am proud of the leap Vinod has taken and excited to present his debut to a wider audience. This is for the team. This is for all who dream, for the ones who overcome their fears and strive to deliver with honesty", Hrithik Roshan added.
Vinod Rawat shot to fame with the inaugural season of Sushmita Sen starrer International Emmy Awards nominated series Aarya, which he co-directed with filmmaker Ram Madhvani. An alumnus of Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), the filmmaker described Pushtaini as a "deeply personal" film and thanked Hrithik Roshan for presenting the drama.
"All a debut filmmaker needs is a leap of faith and a gentle whisper of your close friends. To then have the support of Hrithik, who I have known & admired immensely over the years, is a big moment for me. I've had the pleasure of working with him and now to reteam but in a different capacity, is exciting. After a hugely successful premiere at MAMI, I am thrilled that Pushtaini will finally be out for the world to see. I'm also thankful to Rajkumar Rao, who believed in my creative vision and hence also agreed to support Pushtaini with an extremely special cameo. It is a deeply personal film, shot in my ancestral village in Uttarakhand, which explores several sensitive themes like a father-son relationship, the challenges of migration, and an aspiring actor's navigation through the complexities of his journey," Vinod Rawat added.
Pushtaini also features non-professional actors including Rawat's own family members. The film is co-written by Rita Heer, who also plays a prominent character in the film.
Pushtaini is produced by Lotus Dust Pictures and VinRaw Films. It will be theatrically released pan-India on June 21 by Shiladitya Bora’s Platoon Distribution known for releasing indie gems like Rohena Gera's Cannes winner SIR, Chaitanya Tamhane's Venice winner Court, Anamika Hakshar's Sundance premiered Ghode Ko Jalebi Khilane Le Jaa Riya Hoon.
Hrithik Roshan took to Instagram and share the trailer with caption, “When @vinraw first spoke to me of Pushtaini I couldn’t quite imagine or visualise the film. I remember thinking this is a great germ of an idea, but it seemed absurd to me that he would give up everything and put all his finances into executing it. We were in the middle of the lockdown, Vinod told me he’d be shooting the project in his native Uttarakhand, that he would also be directing and acting in the film and as he had little to no funds, his family would be playing all the other characters, I was sure this was going to be an experimental home video at best.”
View this post on Instagram
He added, “Worried, I asked him if I could support him in any way but he seemed clear he wanted to do this himself. Months passed and I heard Covid had halted the film and he was down to his last Rs. 15,000. But Vinod was determined and said he would continue making the film and if anything went wrong, he would take that as his destiny and stop the project. And then one day just like that he came to me with a complete film. I honestly didn’t know what to expect as I went in to watch but to my utmost surprise and delight the film made me laugh, it made me cry and I came away absolutely awestruck with what this man had achieved singlehandedly, without any help whatsoever. Pushtaini had a heart and it had won mine.”
He added, “I have known Vinod to be an excellent coach, but he truly surprised me as an actor, director and producer. How he overcame all his limitations and created this magic was unbelievable to me. I came out inspired and reaffirmed that if you really want to create something, the universe conspires in the most beautiful ways to make it happen. Pushtaini is a testament to this belief and it is a joy for me to be a small part of this journey. The past year has been one of incredible achievement for Indian independent cinema at the world stage. My hope is Vinod’s journey will inspire us all to do all we can to support independent filmmakers in the country and create more space for new alternate voices to be heard. With that thought, It’s my absolute honour to present the trailer of Pushtaini, releasing in cinemas on June 21, 2024.”
Also Read : Hrithik Roshan gets angry at paparazzi at the airport, watch viral video
BOLLYWOOD NEWS - LIVE UPDATES
Catch us for latest Bollywood News, New Bollywood Movies update, Box office collection, New Movies Release , Bollywood News Hindi, Entertainment News, Bollywood Live News Today & Upcoming Movies 2024 and stay updated with latest hindi movies only on Bollywood Hungama.
