Rishi Kapoor's last film Sharmaji Namkeen, directed by Hitesh Bhatia, is all set to release on March 31 on Amazon Prime Video. The family entertainer stars an ensemble of actors, including the Late Rishi Kapoor and Paresh Rawal, alongside Juhi Chawla, Suhail Nayyar, Taaruk Raina, Satish Kaushik, Sheeba Chaddha, and Isha Talwar. In a first for Hindi cinema, Sharmaji Namkeen features two veteran actors Rishi Kapoor and Paresh Rawal - who play the same character.
Ranbir had earlier revealed in a heartwarming video about how his father, a man so full of life and positivity, wished to complete the film at all costs despite his health deteriorating. The actor said that his unfortunate departure resulted in the makers trying VFX and even made Ranbir try prosthetics to complete the film but with no luck. It was veteran actor Paresh Rawal who then stepped in and ensured Rishi Kapoor’s last film gets a conclusion. In an interview with a news agency, the Delhi-based filmmaker said Rishi's passing away was shocking and nearly sealed the fate of the film. "It was a tough time and a deeply emotional moment because it came out of nowhere. I had spoken to Rishi ji, very briefly, before he passed away. We were sharing random jokes with each other on WhatsApp, where he was telling me, 'Hey this should be in the film'. It was a normal conversation, where he said, 'Let's start the film soon' and then the news came. No one was prepared for that".
After the veteran actor's death, the director recalled a conversation with his wife, where he told her, "The film is over, it is not going to get made". Just when Bhatia had "accepted" the film's destiny, the producers of the movie, Farhan Akhtar, Ritesh Sidhwani, Honey Trehan and Abhishek Choubey, reached out to him over Zoom call. "Farhan said, 'Don't worry, I know you must be down and out, but we will finish the film'. I didn't get how would we do that. The producers assured me that they will figure out a way, they will ensure it gets made. I couldn't process it," he added.
One of the earliest options was to get Ranbir Kapoor on board to play the titular part, using VFX. "It was a journey of Ranbir coming in with prosthetics or VFX, or having another actor (to play the part). It took me a lot of time to come on board with the idea that it is a feasible option that we can do. We had a great responsibility on our shoulders because we knew we are presenting his last film, so we have to do a good job for him, his family and his countless fans. It was a tough job but I am glad everything fell into place," he added.
(Source: PTI)
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