When he said, ‘yes’

Naseeruddin Shah and Sonu Sood

Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah's cinematic offerings have been few and far in between in the recent past, but actor-producer Sonu Sood's Fateh was not an offer he couldn't refuse. "When I narrated the script and showed him the rushes, he liked them. He felt that it looked ‘international', and said he'd love to be part of it. He plays a role that is integral to the story, and is layered and complex. No one else could have done justice to this role. If he had turned it down, I would have removed this character," shares Sood, who was completing the post-production work on Fateh in the USA last month.

The action-thriller revolving around cyber fraud marks Sood's directorial debut. The actor, who is also producing the movie, shot with Shah a month ago in north India. "He is a director's actor. I gave him the liberty to perform in the way he desired, and share his inputs."

Apart from Shah, the film also features Vijay Raaz, Dibyendu Bhattacharya, Prakash Belawadi, and Jacqueline Fernandez. Referring to them as "an ensemble of the best of actors", Sood says he is grateful to have got them on board. "As a first-time writer and director, there was a lot of responsibility on my shoulders, so I wanted to work with the best talent. I have tried to [showcase] whatever I have learned in the last 20 years."