Zee5's 'Bhagwat' inspired by a real-life incident, reveals director Akshay
What's the story
Akshay Shere, the director of Bhagwat Chapter One: Raakshas, has revealed that his film was inspired by a real-life incident. He told India Today, "I was absolutely influenced by the story when I first read it in a newspaper. It had nothing to do with the OTT era." He added, "I've always been a fan of films like Seher; it wasn't from the OTT era and still it was equally intense and gripping."
Director's insight
'Thought it wasn't real...the journalist had taken liberty'
Shere further elaborated on how the authenticity of the story drew him in. "When I first read the article, I actually thought it wasn't real, that the journalist had taken a bit of liberty." "But then I read multiple articles, started doing research, and realized it was true," he said about Bhagwat. The movie stars Arshad Warsi and Jitendra Kumar in lead roles.
Realism emphasized
Staying true to the roots
Shere stressed that Bhagwat stays true to its roots. "Apart from making it cinematic, I don't think I've taken much liberty. Obviously, you have to tell it in an engaging and gripping way...but cinematically." "Apart from that, I've tried to stay as true to the real story as possible, the locations, the behavior, the attitude of the actors, the language everything is very real." "Even the romance is so real, so sweet."
Actor appreciation
Praise for Warsi, Kumar
Shere also praised the acting skills of Warsi and Kumar. He said, "I think both of them are such good actors that it wasn't difficult at all." He added that Warsi's clarity about a character is incredible. "Even if he's having fun on set, the moment the camera rolls, he's absolutely into the character." On Kumar, he said he "had to really imbibe this character because it's such an odd one." Meanwhile, Bhagwat Chapter One: Raakshas is streaming on Zee5.