It’s still a task to recreate yesteryear’s magic: Milan Luthria

The director talks about his love for vintage backdrops and characters set in earlier times

Writer-director Milan Luthria asserts recreating history on screen is still a challenge though creativity is soaring with the availability of best of technology.

Director Milan Luthria

“We are living in the best of times with technology making things a lot better for our industry than they were a few years back. But for people like me, who love going back in time and telling stories from the past, it’s still a task to recreate yesteryear’s magic. Like it was in Once Upon a Time in Mumbai (2010) or my last release Sultan Of Delhi — it took us months of recce to get to the right location, but I had to do things with utmost conviction. To set things up like the way it was in the 1960s, was not at all a piece of cake but humne saari jaan laga di,” says the filmmaker, on his Lucknow visit.

Luthria further says that going back in times is still possible via his stories but making actors revive characters from early decades is the real game.

“I consider myself fortunate to have a vision that is so vast and encompasses stories and characters on the lines of early days. When I won praise for Dirty Picture (2011), for its art and backdrop which turned out to be a winner on the silver screen, that made me feel happy and alive. The years-old stories and people in those days had a different charm and charisma and that has always attracted me. And when I bring in artistes and discuss my idea, it’s only when my choice of actor agrees to do a part that I am a relieved soul.”