Faraaz: Hansal Mehta shares poster of his next film, based on our ‘polarised times’

Based on true events, Hansal Mehta's Faraaz will release in theatres on February 3, 2023. The drama, which will depict the terrorist attack that took place in a Bangaldeshi cafe, introduces seven new actors.

Hansal Mehta's Faraaz, which will introduce seven new actors, will release in theatres on February 3, 2023. The upcoming film focuses on the real-life events leading to the deadly terrorist attack that took place in a Bangaldeshi café in July 2016. The feature film has already had its world premiere at the BFI London Film Festival in October 2022. On Monday, Hansal unveiled the film's intense poster and announced its release date.

Aditya Rawal stars in Hansal Mehta's upcoming film Faraaz. It will release in theatres on February 3.

Taking to Twitter, the filmmaker wrote, "Because standing up against bigotry is the only way to defeat it. A story of our polarised times #Faraaz in cinemas on Feb 3." He also shared a list of the film's credits as well as an intense new poster featuring Aditya Rawal. In it, the actor is staring an another man, while pointing his gun back at the hostages.

Faraaz follows the real-life events of July 2016 when armed gunmen entered the Holey Artisan Bakery in Dhaka and ended up killing 20 customers and two bakery staff. The rest of the casualties also included two policemen and five of the gunmen in the resulting shootout. This isn't the first film to explore the attack. In 2019, Bangladeshi filmmaker Mostofa Sarwar Farooki made the film Saturday Afternoon on the same events.

The upcoming film, in Hindi and English, is produced by T-Series, Anubhav Sinha’s Benaras Mediaworks and Mahana Films. Besides Aditya Juhi Babbar Soni and Aamir Ali in the main cast, Faraaz also introduces Zahan Kapoor, who is the grandson of actor Shashi Kapoor and filmmaker Ramesh Sippy. Sachin Lalwani, Jatin Sareen, Ninad Bhatt, Harshal Pawar, Palak Lalwani and Ressham Sahaani are also being introduced in the film.

Ahead of the film's world premiere in London, Hansal had told Variety, "Through that attack, it’s a look at our world and also a deep dive into what religion means to different people. It is a deep dive into the minds of young people. When I read the story of the people who attacked the bakery, and the people were trapped, I found it incredible – it’s a story of youth and a story of our times.”