5 filmmakers including Anubhav Sinha, Hansal Mehta to make anthology on life during Covid-19 pandemic

Anubhav Sinha, Sudhir Mishra, Hansal Mehta, Ketan Mehta and Subhash Kapoor are all working on creating an anthology film on how Covid-19 affected everyone.

Filmmakers Anubhav Sinha, Sudhir Mishra, Hansal Mehta, Ketan Mehta and Subhash Kapoor are coming together for a special project based on life during the coronavirus pandemic. They are working on an anthology film about Covid-19 and how it has touched lives of all.

Anubhav Sinha along with Sudhir Mishra, Hansal Mehta, Ketan Mehta and Subhash Kapoor, is working on a new film.

Speaking to The Times of India, Anubhav said, “This is such an interesting time, you know – even though I realise interesting may not be the best word. Sudhir bhai’s driver had contracted COVID and he was unable to get a bed – and we were making all sorts of phone calls just to get him a hospital bed. Uss raat mere dimaag mein aaya ki humein usko document karna chahiye (I had the idea that night that we should document all of it). And what better way to do it than different filmmakers looking at different things? Sudhir bhai ke pitaji ki death hui COVID period mein. We lost Irrfan – aur hum Irrfan ke janaaze par bhi nahi jaa paye. Nikloon ki nahi nikloon… Tigmanshu ko police se jhagda karna pada – he said main toh jaaonga, bhai hai mera (Sudhirs father died during Covid period. We could not attend Irrfan’s funeral. Should I step out or not. Tigmanshu had to fight the police saying ‘I will go, he was my brother’),” he said.

Anubhav added that he also wanted Anurag Kashyap to be a part of it but it could not happen as he is busy with another project. Talking about everyone’s stories, Anubhav said, “Hansal’s story is quite comic and quite tragic. Sudhir bhai’s is political, quite political. Subhash’s is also political, but in a different way. I am still struggling with my story – I want to tell an atmospheric story, which is about fear. I live on the 20th floor and I can see a very large expanse of Mumbai from my window. It has suddenly started looking like a deserted, dead city. And Ketan is saying ‘ main dekh ke batata hoon’ ( laughs).”

Talking about the project, Subhash said, “The world has not seen anything like this ever before, it’s crucial to chronicle this period and explore stories around, I look forward to this journey with like minded friends.”

Sudhir said they hope to begin filming by November. “If someone has to shoot indoors, then that is easier. But if the story demands outdoor shots, crowds – which you assume a political story will – then we have to see till what time that becomes possible,” he added.

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