On his birthday, February 5, Abhishek Bachchan kickstarted shooting for R Balki’s Ghoomer, which also features Shabana Azmi, Saiyami Kher and Angad Bedi. “Can’t ask for a better birthday present! Birthdays are best spent, working. घूमर. Now spinning,” junior Bachchan wrote on instagram. Pinkvilla has now learnt that National Award winning filmmaker and Founder-Director of Film Heritage Foundation Shivendra Singh Dungarpur has also joined the cast of this much awaited film.
Dungarpur informs that Balki saw a picture of him from another film that he shot for recently, and offered him a pivotal role in Ghoomer. “To be honest, I was a bit hesitant initially as acting isn’t really a career of mine, but then Balki invited me to his office and told me about the role where I am related to Shabana ji and Saiyami’s characters. It’s a beautiful role and I immediately fell in love with it, but I can’t reveal anything beyond that about the film at this point,” states the filmmaker-turned-actor.
As a part of his prep, Dungarpur rehearsed thoroughly for his part. “I want to enjoy every aspect of cinema, including acting. I don’t know where this will lead to but I am enjoying the process for now. I am a man of behind the cameras, and because of that I am aware of the markings, how to say the dialogues and all of that, which makes it very easy. Besides that we had readings and rehearsals with the entire cast at Balki’s office which gave me a lot of confidence too,” he smiles.
Ghoomer is presently being shot in Panchgani, and Dungarpur will join the cast by this month-end. “It's a 15 to 20 days schedule and we will be shooting for it in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Pune,” he informs.
Interestingly, Balki and Dungarpur have worked together earlier too. “We go back a long way, as I have worked on a lot of ads for him when he used to head this giant ad agency. So he knew me well, but you can know the person, however you necessarily don’t think of them when you are casting for a film. Though I think that photograph from my other film really convinced Balki that I would be perfect for this part,” shares Dungarpur, who has known Abhishek Bachchan and Shabana Azmi too for a long time.
“I have had a long association with Javed (Akhtar) Saab and had directed him for a show called, Rahe Na Rahe Hum. I had also assisted Gulzar Saab on his film Libaas, which had Shabana ji in the lead. So we know each other. In fact, when she met me for the Ghoomer readings, she was surprised to know that I was acting in the film. But again, I give all the credit for that to Balki. His power of narration is absolutely brilliant. I am so happy to be a part of this project,” Dungarpur concludes.