As long-in-the-works Torbaaz gears up for a digital premiere, director Malik recounts how Dutt filmed relentlessly during the Kyrgyzstan schedule
A still from the film
It has been a long journey to the finish line for the makers of Torbaaz. But director Girish Malik is content today as the Sanjay Dutt-starrer is set for a digital premiere on Netflix on December 11. Though his plan of a theatrical release was thwarted by the pandemic, the director considers it a blessing in disguise. "The film will stream in 190 countries. Even though cinemas have their own charm, at the end of the day, you want your film to reach as many people as possible," says Malik.
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Torbaaz, which also stars Nargis Fakhri, had rolled in Kyrgyzstan in December 2017. After a spate of intermittent shoots, the director had called it a wrap on the action drama in February 2019. Ask Malik about the delay, and he says, "Torbaaz is not delayed. Once people see the scale of the film, they will realise such movies need time. We needed a year for VFX; we have employed special effects in almost 900 shots in the film."
Girish Malik
Revolving around child suicide bombers in Afghanistan, the actioner sees Dutt's character bring joy into the lives of boys in a refugee camp by introducing them to cricket. "The story shows the beautiful world of Sanju and the children, set against the backdrop of violence. We used to work [relentlessly]. In fact, after we had shot for 12 days non-stop, Sanju came to me and said, 'I will be 60 soon. Please give me at least a day's break.'"
Producer Rahul Mittra says that the star shared a deep bond with the child actors. "Sanju used to join the kids for lunch and would spend time with them during breaks," he reveals.
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