Anand Gandhi: Helicopter Eela and Tumbbad have distinct stories

A still from Helicopter Eela

Five years after he won a National Award for Ship Of Theseus, writer-director Anand Gandhi has two projects - Kajol-starrer Helicopter Eela, based on his Gujarati play, Beta, Kaagdo, and the horror thriller Tumbbad starring Sohum Shah - set to release tomorrow. Unfazed by his offerings locking horns at cinema halls, he says, "They are distinct stories. Helicopter Eela is about a single mother and her son, while Tumbbad is something that needs to be experienced. I am actually excited that two of my projects will be out together."

Gandhi staged Beta, Kaagdo 19 years ago for a community event, and later enhanced it for a one-act theatre festival. "Veteran writer Robin Bhatt, who is well versed in works that can be adapted for Bollywood, was aware of the play. He introduced me to Ajay Devgn, who is producing the film. I have penned the screenplay. As it is for the big screen, and hence mounted on a huge canvas, I have changed the narrative." Though Gandhi has now stopped writing for theatre, one of his other Gujarati plays, Chal Reverse Ma Jaiye, he says, is also suitable for the big screen, "which may happen, sooner or later."

Anand Gandhi

His other project, Tumbbad, has him as producer, co-writer and creative director. "Initially, I came aboard the project as producer with Ship Of Theseus actor Sohum Shah, but later got involved in its creative development. There are a lot of people, including writer-director Rahi Anil Barve, and cinematographer Pankaj Kumar, who have been associated with it," adds Gandhi, who is also working on an international film, as well as another Bollywood project as a writer and director.

Talking about his long absence from the scene following Ship Of Theseus, he says, "It took a while to make Tumbbad, and then I produced [Aam Aadmi Party inspired film] An Insignificant Man [2017]." He also launched a virtual reality platform, where films by Sooni Taraporevala, Nishtha Jain and Khushboo Ranka, among others, were displayed.

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