Power Play

After a long wait,an aged Vassilikos granted Dibakar and his co producer an audience in Athens. “Vassilis is a very private person,an intellect and academician,and getting to meet him was worth it. He was surprised,of course,to find that we were there to seek permission to make a film based on his book,” recalls Banerjee. The film,titled Shanghai,hits the floors with two most unusual actors on board,Abhay Deol and Emraan Hashmi. The hunt for the female lead is on.

“I know the title is contradictory in nature,for the premise is a political thriller. I gave this title for it’s the Shanghai of our dreams. We all think we are far from politics and corruption,but in reality,we are at the receiving end of it. There are people who have this exceptional degree of control over our lives and we are unconsciously running it according to them.”

Banerjee scripted the film along with Urmi Juvekar. “It is uncannily representative of the current Indian political scenario. The central plot revolves around an accident and what happens after it,” he says. Set in a nameless town,the film,according to Banerjee,will have many layers to it. “It’s is about violence,about small town India,the various classes of Indian society caught up in the lure of money and politics,about the ruler and the ruled,about belief and death. It’s going to be a pulsating thriller,leaving the audience breathless,” he avers.

His choice of actors,says Banerjee,is deliberate. “I will break some stereotypes and presumptions with this film. There will be no serial kissing Emraan Hashmi in leather jackets at foreign locales. In this film,he’s a small town wheeler dealer,a poser looking for his ticket out of this rut. He is also a man in love,on a broken down scooter,shooting sleazy videos and on the run for his life,” he says. The part was offered to Imran Khan who turned it down because he prefers rom-coms. Deol too is set to shock. “He is a negative,almost vicious character. He is not a rogue or rebel. He is instead a member of the establishment,an ego-centric powerful man,” he says.

Post Shanghai,which will be ready for release by the end of the year,Banerjee might make a romantic film. “Or a small intimate study of a marriage falling apart,” he says.