JOIN USVeteran filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt had penned a plot for the reels similar to the Sheena Bora murder case much before news of the real life story hit the headlines.
The 66-year-old Bhatt already has several hits on crime thrillers to his credit.Bhatt, co-owner of film production house, Vishesh Films, with brother Mukesh Bhatt, completed the script of “Ab Raat Guzarnewali Hai” in May 2015, assisted by Suhrita Sengupta.
The film that will be directed by Bhatt’s protege Guroudev Bhalla, is being produced by Dhaval Jayantilal Gada and presented by Zee.
When reports of media tycoon Peter Mukerjea’s wife Indrani being arrested hit the headlines, the filmmakers were shocked as Sheena murder case and one that grew out of Bhat’s imagination had many similarities.
“I empathise with the living hell Peter is going through and this is not a pathetic attempt to ride on his unspeakable tragedy. But bizarre as it may sound, fact is that this is a case of life imitating fiction rather than fiction imitating life,” Bhatt said.
The film’s story is of crime and passion, drenched in blood, revolving around a mother and daughter. While Bhatt refuses to get into details, he admits that it plays itself out in a media space with characters high on fame and power, flushed with money and caught in multi-partner relationships.
“The story grew out of my imagination. I never imagined that it could be unfolding for real in a high rise in our backyard where the rich and powerful reside. The coincidence between a pure work of fiction and real life staggers me, it makes me shudder,” Bhatt added.
When asked if the Sheena murder case will be added to the film’s story, Bhatt said, “No, my work is done. I only wrote this story for my protege. The film should roll in December. I never imagined that it would explode for real as the mother of all crime stories.”