Rishi Kapoor’s final film Sharmaji Namkeen to be completed using advanced VFX technology

Actor Rishi Kapoor’s final film, Sharmaji Namkeen, which had a few days of filming remaining before his death, will be completed using advanced VFX technology.

Actor Rishi Kapoor’s final film, Sharmaji Namkeen, will be completed with the help of advance visual effects. The film had a few days of shooting remaining when Rishi died at the age of 67 last week.

Rishi Kapoor speaks during the song launch of his film 102 Not Out in Mumbai, India. (AP)

Producer Honey Trehan told Mid-Day that director Hitesh Bhatia and his crew are now faced with the challenge of completing the film without its lead actor. He said, “We will be using advanced technology, an amalgamation of VFX and some special technique, to finish the film without compromising on the quality. We are in discussion with a few [VFX studios] and are figuring out the way forward.”

The film, which also stars Juhi Chawla, had begun production in December, and had just four days of filming left when the nationwide coronavirus lockdown was enforced. “We shot a major portion of the film in Delhi during January. Only a four-day schedule was pending,” Trehan said, assuring everyone that the film will be released theatrically.

“We want to take this film to the theatres for his friends, family and fans. We all owe this to Rishiji, one of the silver screen legends. I am grateful to Ritesh (Sidhwani, producer) and Farhan (Akhtar, producer) for investing in the movie not just monetarily, but also emotionally,” he said.

In an earlier interview, Trehan had said that the Delhi schedule of the film began days after the death of Rishi’s sister, Ritu Nanda. But the actor insisted on returning to work. Trehan told Mumbai Mirror, “We were looking to reschedule but in answer to my condolence message he asked, ‘What is the call time tomorrow?’” Honey said that he told the actor to take a couple of days off. But Rishi replied, “Bakwas maat karo, what happened is personal, but work is my is my profession. I am equally responsible for both. The show must go on.”

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