Shoojit Sircar reminces experience working with Big-B and Aysushmann in Gulabo Sitabo

Get ready for a roller-coaster ride filled with humour, drama and non-stop entertainment as Sony MAX brings to you the World Television Premiere of 2020’s much appreciated satire, dramedy Gulabo Sitabo on 8th November at 12 PM. Starring veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan alongside the versatile Ayushmann Khurrana, Gulabo Sitabo is a quirky tale of a landlord and his tenant who are constantly at odds with each other. A Rising Sun Films production, Gulabo Sitabo is directed by Shoojit Sircar, written by Juhi Chaturvedi and produced by Ronnie Lahiri and Sheel Kumar.

Working with Amitabh Bachchan and Ayushmann Khurrana together for the very first time, Shoojit Sircar shared, “Since I have worked with both of them earlier, somewhere down the line, there is trust, bonding, and comfort between us, and that has grown slowly and matured. Of course, it is a creative process, and we keep challenging each other all the time. We challenge Mr Bachchan, and he challenges us. That is very important for that good, healthy working relationship. The vision of the film needed the chemistry between these two people to be crackling.

It took a little time. If you work with Mr Bachchan for the first time, it does take a little time to get past that aura and in the beginning, that hesitation was there with Ayushmann and then it became fine. Mr Bachchan also made him very comfortable. In fact, he’s never intimidating, he’s very easy. He may look like he isn’t easy (laughs), but on set he’s absolutely a director’s actor, and also one of the most fascinating co-actors to work with. My crew is a close-knit family, as I always work with the same people. So with Ayushmann working here felt like a family member returning.”

Shoojit shared what according to him are the top reasons to catch the World Television Premiere of the film on Sony MAX, “A lot of people have told me that they have got a very warm feeling after watching the film. They loved the fresh pair of Mr Amitabh Bachchan and Ayushmann Khurrana. I have also got tons of feedback on how Mr Bachchan is almost unrecognizable, which I am quite happy about. We wanted to achieve that and it was successful. I have made the film with a lot of warmth and for me, Gulabo Sitabo is a satire. I wanted to do satire and I think it’s turned out exactly how I wanted it to be.

It’s a satire on very simple people who are struggling with their lives every day. There are these two characters — Banke (played by Ayushmann) and Mirza (played by Bachchan) — and also many other characters. In this film, I have explored a world which is an absolutely new and challenging world for me. I’ve not ventured into these characters and this space before. I wanted to present Lucknow with a new visual feel, which the audiences have appreciated.”

Gulabo Sitabo, set in Lucknow, revolves around the battle of ownership of a dilapidated mansion owned by Mirza, played by Amitabh Bachchan and Baankey, an impoverished tenant, played by Ayushmann Khurrana. Both of them are always at loggerheads with each other, fighting for the payment of the rent. Surprising the audiences with an unexpected twist, the film teaches a beautiful lesson towards the end. The film also see some versatile supporting cast including Farukh Jeffer, Shrishti Shrivastava, Vijay Raaz, Tina Bhatia, Brijendra Kala and Poornima Sharma.

Gulabo Sitabo offers much more than the fun nok-jhok between Mirza and Baankey as it promises to enchant viewers with its powerful screenplay and cinematography. The film will take the audience to Lucknow’s old-world charm –its decaying but beautiful mansions, tuk-tuks and cycle rickshaws running across the narrow lanes of the city. Through the movie camera, beautifully managed by Abhik Mukhopadhyay talks to the audience as it takes glides through the Nawabi city, ‘Muskuraiye Ki aap Lucknow Mein Hain’.