Star-debutants Rajveer Deol and Paloma Dhillon super-confident--thanks to Dir. Avnish S. Barjatya’s intensive prep for  romantic thriller ‘Dono’  !  by  Chaitanya  Padukone

Prestigious banners Rajshri Productions and Jio Studios are all set for their next ambitious release “DONO”.  The musical emotional romantic thriller film Dono released on Oct 5, promises to entertain audiences with a riveting tale of romance, heartbreak, self-discovery and finding closure. Set against the backdrop of a lavish destination wedding in Thailand, Dono marks some fabulous Bollywood triple-debuts! Rajveer Deol, the younger son of Sunny Deol stars opposite Paloma Dhillon,  daughter of Poonam Dhillon in the directorial debut of Avnish S. Barjatya, son of veteran director Sooraj R. Barjatya

Speaking to me at the launch of the tantalizing trailer of ‘Dono’  director Avnish shared that “ finalizing an unconventional romantic title was very difficult. Ultimately this unique title ‘Dono’ I felt has this multi-layered intrigue and is appropriate for two strangers a young boy and girl who connect and how their vibes keep cruising ahead with all the twists and turns against a backdrop of a lavish marriage celebration,” disclosed Avnish. Both debutants Rajveer and Paloma were super-confident as they honestly, smartly and confidently answered all kinds of questions from the media.

The  Dono trailer launch had an ambiance of sentimental nostalgia. Especially when mega-star-parents Sunny Deol and Poonam Dhillon came up on stage and recalled fond memories from their romantic hit musical Indo-Russian movie ‘Sohni Mahiwal’(1984) where they were paired together. What a wonderful heartening confidence that their next-generation star children Rajveer and Paloma are paired opposite each other after a gap of  nearly 40 years

Both Poonam Dhillon and Ashok Thakeria seemed emotionally overwhelmed as they spoke to me since their daughter Paloma was getting favorable appreciation from the news media.

Director Avnish S, Barjatya's has taken a hands-on Intensive-Advance-Prep Approach in grooming star-material debutants handsome Rajveer Deol and charming Paloma for their lead roles in the authentic and highly relatable movie "DONO"! And as Sunny Deol ( Gadar2) who has seen ‘Dono’ at shared that this film may not have violent action scenes, but it has emotional intensity, family values and yet it incorporates live-in relationships that connect with today’s modern generation. In an indirect reference to dad Sunny Deol’s ‘Gadar2’ screen macho-rugged character image, As hero Rajveer honestly also said that “I wish to carve my own distinct identity and not be stereotyped or be trapped in an image similar to that of my papa ( Sunny Deol).  Out here in the romantic movie ‘Dono’ you may not see me bashing up the gang of villains or screaming loudly and yet it’s a full-on family entertainer with intense sentimental audience connect,”

With Dono being the trio’s first film ever, enthusiastic writer–director Avnish S. Barjatya took a hands-on practical approach with both his lead actors to prepare them of the characters that he had himself written for over 4 years. This process included extensive workshops, script readings, rehearsals, and the freedom to improvise. This process helped Rajveer, Paloma and Avnish to know each other so well that during the 70-plus days of shoot, this preparation played a pivotal role in shaping performances and ensuring that their debut will be different.

Avnish, the Gen-Now Rajshri director has his own understanding and interpretation of filmmaking and the prep work that goes behind the camera before the film makes it to the big screen.  Avnish understands and values the significance of thorough preparation above everything else. To ensure that Rajveer Deol and Paloma Dhillon were well-prepared for their roles in Dono, Avnish ran workshops with both actors for almost 2 years. The film’s production hit pause button twice during the first and second wave of Covid 19. This gave the debutantes more time to go through a series of workshops and script readings that allowed the budding actors to delve deep into their characters, understand their motivations, and develop a strong connection with the story. Through intense rehearsals and discussions, Avnish nurtured the raw talents of Rajveer and Paloma and brought out the best in them, setting the stage for a memorable debut.

Rajshri Productions movie Dono is in association with Jio Studios. Directed by Avnish S. Barjatya and produced by Kamal Kumar Barjatya, Late Rajkumar Barjatya, and Ajit Kumar Barjatya this movie production with melodious music by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy is led by Sooraj R. Barjatya. Dono will release all over on 5th October. Already the movie romantic title song ‘Tum aur main—dono dono’ sung by Armaan Malik has gone viral and is super-trending.