Mumbai Saga director works from home; awaits John and Emraan's approval

Stationed in Khandala, Mumbai Saga director kicks off film's post-production with the editor over calls, sends final sequences to John Abraham and Emraan Hashmi for approval.

As work-from-home becomes the de facto way of life amid the lockdown, director Sanjay Gupta is finding novel ways to continue post-production work on Mumbai Saga. "As far as the release goes, let's admit it — the film is indefinitely postponed. I have three days' shoot left and two songs to finish," says the director of the John Abraham and Emraan Hashmi starrer that traces the shutdown of mills in Bombay during the '80s.

For now, Gupta, who is staying put at home in Khandala, is supervising the final cut of the actioner with Mumbai-based editor Bunty Nagi, the miles between them notwithstanding. "My editor finishes the edit every day, and mails it to me. I sit and go through it, making notes. [While suggesting changes], I have to give him the exact minute and second where the change needs to be incorporated. It's a time-consuming process because I have to explain to him that there should be an extra shot here, or that he has to [extend] a particular scene there. Usually, we would be doing this, sitting next to each other, but now, we are doing it over long calls."

Sanjay Gupta

If the editing is a laborious process, the background score is posing a bigger problem. "My [background] composer is in Finland. I have to mail the sequences to him, basis which he composes the music and sends it back for approval."

The filmmaker adds that some important sequences are also being sent to Abraham and Hashmi for a look. "The reason why we minimise sending footage across is to avoid movies being leaked, but at this point, we have no option."

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