5 directors selected, search for 2 more.
By Tathagata Mitra
BANGALORE: The crème de la crème of Bollywood’s independent directors are coming together to make an anthology film on the seven sins. Among the directors, each of whom will be making a segment on one sin, there will be Anurag Kashyap (Gangs of Wasseypur), Hansal Mehta (Shahid), Tigmanshu Dhulia (Paan Singh Tomar), Sudhir Mishra ( Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi), and Vasan Bala (Peddlers).
The film will be two hour long experience with seven segments. Each of the segments will be based on one of the seven deadly sins – Wrath, Envy, Gluttony, Avarice, Lust, Sloth and Pride. The film will be produced by Sunil Bohra who has signed the five directors for five of his segments. However, he is still looking for two more directors to complete his team of seven.
“The idea is to promote the concept of short films by giving it a mainstream treatment and collaborate with some of the top names of the industry. Bala has already written a story on sloth,” said a source close to the production team according to saharasamay.com.
This is not Bollywood’s first attempt with anthology films. Sanjay Gupta’s Dus Kaahaniya despite good promotions and have a huge ensemble cast failed to gel well with the critics. Last year’s Bombay Talkies which had names like Karan Johar, Zoya Akhtar, Dibakar Banerjee and Anurag Kashyap was made as a tribute to 100 years of Indian cinema. Although critically acclaimed, the film failed at the box office.
Hansal Mehta who is making a segment on gluttony told the media, “Yes, we will be collaborating on this yet-to-be titled project. I will be doing a film on gluttony as it also happens to be my personal weakness. My story should be ready within a week. The film rolls next month.”
Sudhir Mishra who is making a film on envy said, “I am making a film on it as I feel envy is an extremely strong emotion – one that can do the maximum damage. I always enjoy doing short films and this is an exciting collaboration because of the concept and the people involved.”
According to Bohr Kashyap has said that he will take up whichever topic is left after all the other directors have had their pick.
Little known to most audiences, this is not Bollywood’s first rodeo with the seven deadly sins. Sushmita Sen’s Samay: When Time Strikes which also starred Jackie Shroff was a detective thriller, heavily inspired from Brad Pitt’s Seven, also on the same topic.
If history is any indication, this anthology film will have a very dark atmosphere throughout the segments as a direct result of the subject. This is perhaps why the producer has chosen filmmakers known for their tenacity for the morbid. Perhaps that is an indication that the next two filmmakers will also be well-known when it comes to the macabre. Dibaker Banerjee and Sujoy Ghosh maybe? Food for thought.