Hope aur Hum: a story about modern Indian families and their aspirations

Filmmaker Sudip Bandopadhyay on his upcoming film Hope Aur Hum, working with the legendary  Naseeruddin Shah and more
Naseeruddin Shah and Sonali Kulkarni in a still from the movie
Naseeruddin Shah and Sonali Kulkarni in a still from the movie

The trailer of the film has cast its magic on the audience. The short preview to Hope Aur Hum, starring Naseeruddin Shah, Sonali Kulkarni, Aamir Bashir, Naveen Kasturia and others, is optimistic throughout. A story about a family, this film marks writer-director Sudip Bandopadhyay’s debut. An ad filmmaker for over 20 years, Sudip says,“It’s a simple story told  through three individuals belonging to three different generations — a father, his son, and a grandson. Even within a family, every individual has his or her own hopes and their own journey to map. Circumstances and destiny are the villains in the film. The story is an amalgamation of love, hope and destiny.”

Few directors would be as lucky as Sudip to get to work with a fine actor like Naseeruddin Shah in their first film. But it wasn’t easy. He had to first meet the actor and then there was a long wait before getting the final nod. “My producer and I had called him once, but one day, we just went to his house unannoun-ced and gave him our script. We waited for nearly two months, but he called us back and met us. He said, ‘I like your story and I like you, but you have to tell me who my co-actors are because I am very particular about whom I am working with.’ After we had finalised the cast, we shared the names and he was very happy,” reveals Sudip.

Among the other actors from the ensemble cast is Sonali Kulkarni who was last seen in Poster Boys opposite Sunny Deol. Sonali plays Naseeruddin Shah’s daughter-in-law. “I was very keen on casting Sonali. She has put her soul into the character and has brought it alive,” says Sudip. 

Though Sudip has been an adman for over two decades, he admits there is a different joy when one gets to work on a feature film, and that too with a cast that’s handpicked by him. “The environment is the same whether we are shooting a commercial or a film. But the discipline is different. We stay longer with the script and shoot for longer and it’s a great experience particularly when you have written and directed, you have more control and freedom,” he says. 

Hope Aur Hum is set for to release on May 11

ayeshatabassum@newindianexpress.com  
@aishatax

 

Related Stories

No stories found.
Indulgexpress
www.indulgexpress.com