Ishaan Khattar's debut film director Majid Majidi: Invited flamingos to act in my movie

The scene was shot in Sewri at the break of dawn last winter

Shooting for Oscar-nominated Iranian filmmaker Majid Majidi's next in Mumbai is in full swing. The film, titled Beyond The Clouds, will mark the screen debut of Shahid Kapoor's half brother, Ishaan Khattar, and has been shot in Mukesh Mills (Colaba) as also in obscure nooks of Bandra and Versova.

The 'master shot' , however, was canned in Sewri a few weeks ago - Ishaan gazing at a pat of flamingos at the break of dawn. Majidi describes that as the film's most overwhelming scene so far. In fact, he was so impressed with it that he decided to use it as the poster.

Ishaan Khattar and Majid Majidi

The filmmaker tells hitlist, "When I was writing the script based on locations that I had seen (during the recce), I never thought that the presence of flamingos could make for one of the most dramatic and beautiful scenes in my film. At the onset of winter, just before the start of my shoot, I saw these beautiful birds, which migrate from Russia to Mumbai [during that season]. The first time I saw them, I was excited because I didn't know that flamingos come here during that season. I then invited all of them to act in my film. They generously accepted the invitation and helped create a sublime scene. It was a unique, mesmerising moment."

Meanwhile, Ishaan, we hear, has shed his inhibitions and surrendered to the director's vision. Unit sources say the young boy is at his disciplined best. "He is extremely hardworking, rehearsing every scene multiple times over. Majidi knows how to extract the right emotion from each of his actors," adds a source.