Onir had conceptualised Shab 17 years ago

Onir is known for his films My Brother Nikhil and Bas Ek Pal.

Filmmaker Onir, who is gearing up for his upcoming film Shab, starring Sanjay Suri and Raveena Tandon, says he had started writing the movie around 17 years ago. “When I started working on the script, that time I had met both Sanjay Suri and Raveena on the set of Daman. At that time I was working as an editor. After 17 years, a lot of things have changed now in the characters,” Onir said here in an interview. The director is nervous and excited. “Whenever a new film is releasing, there is an excitement in a filmmaker about seeing the final result of something he created with love. We also feel nervous… If people will reciprocate equally or not.”

Explaining what Shab is about, he said: “It is about city life. It is a place where people come from small cities and towns with their own dreams. Everyone wants to achieve something. Some people achieve their dreams whereas there are some people whose dreams shatter.” Known for films like My Brother Nikhil and Bas Ek Pal, Onir also spoke about his association with Sanjay, who he says plays a cameo in “Shab”.

“I met Sanjay at the set of Daman. We had built a rapport on the set itself. We like creating similar type of movies and we have a basic trust on each other. When this feeling is present, the journey becomes easier.” Talking about his journey in Mumbai, Onir said: “I learnt editing from Germany so that when I come to Mumbai, people would accept me for having at least one strong skill. Direction was always my dream. I feel the editor connects all the dots in a story. Hence, it is very important for a director to be a good editor.”