Mumbai: Director Hansal Mehta, whose project on noted writer Sadat Hasan Manto
could not take off, is looking forward to see how Nandita Das has
approached the author's life.
Mehta had started working on the
script with actor Rajkummar Rao but the director could not find
producers for the movie and eventually moved on to "Aligarh".
Das' version features Nawazuddin Siddiqui as Manto and focuses on his years in Mumbai.
"Both
Nandita Das and I were working on the 'Manto' script at the same time.
She had called me saying she is also making a film on 'Manto'. I told
her to go ahead and do it. I told her that I would make something else. I
was anyways not getting producers for it," Mehta told PTI.
"Immediately
after 'Shahid', I was going to make 'Manto' with Rajkummar (Rao). We
had done a photo shoot with him. But it did not happen as we were not
able to find
producers....The scale, the budget at that time was not feasible," he
added.
When asked if he was disheartened that the project could
not become a reality, the director said, "I see it philosophically, as
whatever happens just happens. Nandita was destined to make 'Manto' and I
was destined to make 'Aligarh'."
Mehta said he was interested in seeing his colleague's
perspective on the celebrated writer, one of the most prominent literary
voices of the 20.
"She is a good story-teller. I am looking forward to see her version of 'Manto'," he added.
Currently,
the director is awaiting the release of "Omerta", which chronicles the
life of British terrorist of Pakistani-descent Omar Saeed Sheikh.
Rao is playing a titular role in "Omerta".
"I
want people to hate him. The film has to provoke certain reaction, be
it happiness or sadness. This film makes you angry. It also gives you an
adrenaline rush, I wanted to
make a film in thriller space.
"Here is a thriller where the hero
is a complete antagonist. It was a challenge for both me and Raj, it is
a new thing in our filmography," said Mehta, who has collaborated with
Rao on multiple films.
"Omerta" is set to release on April 20.
Mehta is planning to team up with Rao again in their next project.
"I
am at the moment focusing on my next directorial venture. We are
working on the script with Raj. It is being written. We will start in
the middle of the year somewhere," he said. PTI
