A Genteel City

It’s my first love story,” says Onir,about his next movie,Veda. An adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet,the film centres around a love story between a Hindu woman and a Muslim man,but religion is not the cause of conflict. Set against the backdrop of Lucknow’s chikan industry and London,Onir hopes it will erase the stereotypical attitude people have towards Hindu-Muslim relationships. Known for going the extra mile,Onir was all about infusing personal experiences into this film too,similar to those in his first film,My brother…Nikhil. Apart from visiting areas in Lucknow to get a feel of the local culture,food and music,and soak in the ambience,he lived among locals for short periods of time. These experiences helped him understand and in turn interpose everyday responses of people into the film.

Enhancing the local quotient,is Onir’s dialogue writer,Adhiraj Singh,who is writing for the film,for the first time. “Lucknow’s language is beautiful,refined,gentle and comprehensible,” says Onir,and is confident the audience would grasp the dialect. Co-produced by Sanjay Suri,who featured in My Brother…Nikhil,the film shooting will begin in Lucknow soon,once the cast comes onboard.