‘Oh! Mother India’:Actor Shani Shaki makes his debut as filmmaker

Actor Dulquer Salmaan posts a heartfelt message about an upcoming film on social media, netizens sit up and take notice. The post gives an aerial view of a lady in a sari riding a bike with a backpack, and a jeans wearing youngster riding pillion. It is a poster from actor Shani Shaki’s debut directorial Oh! Mother India, with the tagline, ‘A Journey With My Mother’.

Shani said “I’ve been working on the idea for a year, inspired by the travels of Sarath Krishnan, whose trip to the Himalayas with his 60-year-old mother, was much reported. It touched a chord with everyone. I have written a story based on this thread. The film will centre on an amma-son travel, but with many stories woven in.”

Shani says that as an ad filmmaker, he had always thought of moving to films and Dulquer, who is a friend, too encouraged him to take the leap. While he started work on two story ideas, he deserted them midway feeling unsure about them. This story was something he connected better with, as he too is close to his mother. “It is not a road movie; it will be an intense family drama. Different modes of travel will be used, including flights, trains and buses, around India to shoot the film,” says Shani, who is co-scripting the film with Ramakrishna J Kulur, who wrote the screenplay for BTech.

He is hoping to start the shoot soon, though he has not announced the actors for the roles, keeping it as a surprise. Shani said “Everyone was surprised to hear that I am making a film, so let the cast be another surprise.”

This is the story dedicated to every person who undertakes trips with their mothers said Shani. “Every mother wishes and hopes in her heart that her children would take her on a journey. I hope this film will inspire every single person to fulfill this wish,” he says.

Pic Courtesy: google/ images are subject to copyright