Sujoy Ghosh’s Kahaani was made on a tight budget in 2012 but the film was a critical and box office success. Talking to casting director Mukesh Chhabra on Mashable India, the filmmaker recollected how Vidya Balan had to change in an Innova during shoot because they couldn’t afford a vanity van.

‘Vidya is very dedicated’

Sujoy made a 2009 film called Aladin that he was sure would be a hit. But the film, which starred Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, Riteish Deshmukh, and Jacqueline Fernandez, was a dud. It took four years of his time with less returns. Sujoy told Mukesh that after the film flopped, Vidya could’ve said no to Kahaani but didn’t leave because she gave him her word.

He said, “I saw Vidya when she was at Sanjay Gupta’s office to hear a narration from Meghna Gulzar. I gave her ₹1 that day and told her we’d make a movie together. She saved me; she was Kahaani. She could’ve easily said no after Aladin, but she stuck to it. You have no idea; we had no budget. So, we had no vanity van. We used to cover an Innova with black cloth and she would change inside. She’s so dedicated.”

Sujoy also said that Vidya is ‘zubaan ki pakki’ (sticks to her word) like Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan. Kahaani also stars Parambrata Chatterjee and Nawazuddin Siddiqui. The film won three National Awards for Best Screenplay (Original), Best Editing and a Special Jury Award for Nawazuddin.

Upcoming work

Sujoy debuted as a filmmaker with 2003’s Jhankaar Beats and had last directed a segment for Netflix’s anthology series, Lust Stories 2 and Jaane Jaan with Kareena Kapoor, Jaideep Ahlawat and Vijay Varma. He will soon direct Shah Rukh Khan and Suhana Khan in King. Vidya was last seen in Do Aur Do Pyaar with Pratik Gandhi, Ileana D'Cruz and Sendhil Ramamurthy. She will soon star in Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 with Kartik Aaryan and Triptii Dimri.

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