Catch me if you can

Over 20 years after helming Big B-starrer Aankhen, Vipul Shah to direct another heist thriller; film to go on floors next summer

In 2002, Vipul Amrutlal Shah made his directorial debut with Aankhen. The Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, Arjun Rampal and Paresh Rawal-starrer, which revolved around a bank heist pulled off by three visually-impaired men, became a box-office hit. Over 20 years since, the filmmaker is gearing up for another bank heist thriller. “After Aankhen, I had been looking for a suitable [story] to make a film on this idea. I have finally been able to crack the story,” says Shah.

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While the 2002 thriller, at its centre, had a disgruntled employee avenging a bank for firing him, the new yet-untitled movie will have a twist, promises the director. Shah, who is currently working on the screenplay, refuses to divulge further details, stating, “Let me come back with a proper announcement when it is all set. Right now, I’m in discussion with actors.” If things go as per plan, he will finalise the cast by early next year and take the film on floors by April 2023.

Vipul Amrutlal Shah

Until then, he is helming the Commando web series for Disney+ Hotstar. Considering the film franchise has become synonymous with Vidyut Jammwal, what made him hit pause on it, and take the OTT route? “Hollywood does it, time and again. Tom Cruise plays Jack Reacher in the film series, but another actor essays the character in the OTT space. Ditto Jack Ryan. Commando is our attempt in exploring [a spin-off] idea,” shares the filmmaker. 

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While Jammwal will continue to be the big-screen Commando, a new actor will be introduced in the OTT version. Won’t it be tough for the newbie to match the action standards set by Jammwal? “Vidyut is exceptional [in action]. For the web series, we wanted an actor with a new style of action. After going through over 2,000 audition tapes, we found someone who [fit the bill]. We’ve written the series differently from the film. Both Commandos can co-exist, and come together at a later date.”

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