Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], November 12 (ANI): Sharad Kelkar and Jackie Shroff are set to star in a horror film titled ‘Kaali Kheti’ which is directed by the world record holder artist turned filmmaker Haris Imtiyaz Khan. The actor duo shared their experience of working on the film and why they agreed to work in a horror film.
Actor Sharad Kelkar praised Jackie Shroff not only for his acting prowess but also for his “down-to-earth” nature and simplicity, saying that hearing his name immediately made him enthusiastic about working with him in the film.
While talking to ANI, Sharad Kelkar said, “Not just as an actor—he’s great at that, of course—but as a person too. We have a common connection, and I listen to his talks a lot; he probably listens to mine too. The amount of stuff you have to hear about, and the way he’s so down-to-earth and simple. Sometimes I feel that when I get to where he is, I’ll probably be just like him, saying the same kinds of things. He feels really close to me. I mean, he’s exactly like me in terms of how we behave. So when I heard his name, obviously the first winning point was, Man, let’s shoot a movie here.”
Jackie Shroff recalled a frightening experience of trekking alone through a forest in the dark, saying it brought back childhood ghost stories and created a deep sense of fear.
“I, myself, when it comes to the horror we believe in, like going somewhere in the jungle and being left alone. The kind of fear you feel, you forget about lions and leopards, and you remember the ghost stories you used to hear in childhood—someone sitting with long legs, you’ll hear a splashing sound, a fragrance will come.”
He added, “So I got stuck like that, going alone. All my friends had climbed up the mountain. I had to climb too. It got dark in half an hour. I had to climb for another hour and a half in the dark, in the forests, not able to see anything in any direction, not even the moon.”
Reflecting on his experience, the actor said that it helped him relate to the horror genre and praised his upcoming film for offering pure horror while also weaving in emotions, family relationships and farming into its storyline.
“So all those things created that kind of fear in my heart. When this picture started talking about this picture, and then I saw how good the picturization is too, the pictures they showed, marked by him. So I felt that after a long time, a horror picture is coming that is pure, pure horror. The story is going on, there are emotions too, there’s a family, and there’s farming too,” said Jackie Shroff.
Prior to becoming a filmmaker, Harris was a painter who also hold a world record for being the youngest live portrait artist as per the World Record Academy.
While talking to ANI, Harris said, “Before becoming a filmmaker, I was also an artist. So, from the age of three, I’ve been painting. I’ve had at least sixteen or seventeen solo exhibitions, and I’ve received a world record and a national award. They even called a conference. So, I’ve done a lot of things in art, and of course, the next step was filmmaking because it’s an amalgamation of all the arts coming together.”
While sharing the details regarding the film, the director said, “I based the character of Jackie sir on my grandfather. So, I was very precise with my characterisation. I based my character on Sharad sir. So, everywhere, I based it on things from my own life, things I’ve seen and felt. So, it was very simple for me to actually tell them how to feel and how to move through the story. And I’d like to say that the physicality both of them brought to the role is impeccable. I mean, the performance will speak for itself whenever you watch the film.”
The makers have released the trailer of the film which offers a peek into an eerie world where Kheti is no longer just a place of harvest, but a place that’s turned far more dreadful, with glimpses of Shroff and Kelkar’s layered avatars against a chilling backdrop. It follows a village living under the shadow of something it cannot run away from.
“A world where Kheti has a life of its own, almost like a supernatural element that has taken over the place and the villagers. Jackie Shroff brings his extraordinary acting range to the fore once again, making his screen presence felt. Sharad Kelkar echoes the energy, adding gravitas to the world of Kaali Kheti,” the makers said, as per a press release.
Written and directed by Haris Imtiyaz Khan and produced by Sana Khan, the film also features Neha Sargam, Virendra Saxena and Shaji Choudhary in pivotal roles.
Produced under the banner of BlackCanvas Studio, ‘Kaali Kheti’ will release in theatres on November 20. (ANI)
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