MUMBAI: In an industry, where there are a thousand aspiring film makers waiting for a producer and financer to realize their dreams of making their first film, Barnali Ray Shukla found one on a platter. And the first time film maker has got none other than Vipul Shah as her producer. And to make this story so special, it was Vipul who called her with the offer to produce her first film.
“It is a magical story and one that I need to keep pinching myself as it is like a fairy tale story,” revealed Barnali Ray Shukla. I knew Shefali Shah from Satya days as I was an assistant director for Ram Gopal Verma on that film. Shefali is so warm that I continued keeping in touch with her even after the film was over. When she came to know that I had written my first film, she asked me to narrate the story to her. She was apt for the role and as she is so hugely talented and yet unexplored, she was my immediate choice. Having narrated the story, I went for my music sitting and kept my phone on silent. Three hours later, I saw there were three missed calls from Vipul Shah. He offered to produce my film and Zara Jee Ke Dikha took shape. Contrary to the stories floating around that Vipul is making this film for his wife, it was Shefali who took the initiative and Vipul loved the story so much that he insisted on producing it.”
Zara Jee Ke Dikha is the story of two completely different characters who meet each other and the film is about that one day in their lives. Barnali elaborated on her film, “Shefali has no image and yet she looks the quintessential housewife and that’s why I cast her in the film. Rahul Bose is the male lead and again he is cast in a role that is so diametrically opposite to the South Bombay image of his or of the actor who made his debut in English August. It is a romantic tale between two very different people. ”
Sharing the honours with the main leads are Neetu Chandra and Sumeet Raghavan. The shooting for the film started last December and Barnali has already completed the shooting for the film. Editing of the film is currently in progress and should have a summer release.
Vipul Shah is known to market his films brilliantly and for a first time film maker nothing could be better than getting a producer who can take her film to the public. Barnali Ray Shukla’s tale is indeed what fairy tales are made up of.
