Four months after her last release, Badrinath Ki Dulhania, Alia Bhatt will return to action with Meghna Gulzar’s next directorial after Talvar. The film has been titled Raazi, produced by Junglee Pictures and Dharma Productions, which will be based on Harinder Sikka’s novel, Calling Sehmat. The espionage thriller revolves around a Kashmiri girl, played by Alia, married to an army officer across the border, Vicky Kaushal, who provides the Indian Intelligence with invaluable information during the 1971 Indo-Pak war and saves the lives of scores of our soldiers. The film will be shot in Punjab and Kashmir in a start-to-finish schedule from July, followed by a small portion in Mumbai.
The espionage thriller revolves around a Kashmiri girl, played by Alia, married to an army officer across the border, Vicky Kaushal, who provides the Indian Intelligence with invaluable information during the 1971 Indo-Pak war and saves the lives of scores of our soldiers. The film will be shot in Punjab and Kashmir in a start-to-finish schedule from July, followed by a small portion in Mumbai.
Alia Bhatt Kicks Off Meghna Gulzar’s Upcoming Espionage Thriller RAAZI In July
“I am trying to do something in a new space, recreating India and Pakistan of the 1970s on sets and real locations. A lot of research has gone into getting the period and dialect right. There are some action pieces too. It’s work in progress with workshops and reading sessions,” informs Meghna.
Priti Shahani, President of Junglee Pictures, says, “We are very excited with the entire team that has come together with us to tell this story. It’s the first time we are collaborating with Karan Johar who has a very keen understanding of connecting stories with the audience and brings immense creative value to storytelling. Alia has showcased her acting prowess in every film and right from start we saw her as our Sehmat. As for Meghna, it’s like homecoming for us post Talvar and she is the perfect person to tell this story.”
Meghna is gung-ho about her leading lady too, saying she has landed a challenging role and at the risk of sounding clichéd, a character unlike any she’s played before. When asked to explain the intriguing title she says, “It’s only when you agree to something that you eventually end up doing it and live with the consequences. ‘Raazi’ is a synonym of ‘Sehmat’ which also means agreeable.”
