When you think of a Bollywood film about rival nations India and Pakistan, you expect chest-thumping jingoism and some traditional Pakistan-bashing.
But Dubai-based director and former banker Manav Bhalla is on a different war path.
His mission is to make a Hindi film that proves that the civilians from these two countries can live in perfect harmony in a neutral city such as Dubai.
Yes, there’s a some singing and dancing, too.
“When I talk to people in Dubai, there’s a sense of comfort among Indians and Pakistanis who live here. There is no animosity. In India, there’s some discomfort so I thought it was important to show the world that when you are outside of that environment, there is no concept of rivalry,” said Bhalla, on the sets of Darmiyaan in Dubai on Tuesday, where the majority of the film’s scenes are set. They have another ten days of filming in Dubai left.
His crew is on their eighth day of filming in Dubai and the scene on Tuesday was a dance sequence with the two protagonists, Samar Vermani and Vibhav Roy, dancing on the Burj Al Arab beach. Back-up dancers from Russia, Egypt and other nations lend colour.
“It’s a great ensemble cast with Om Puri, Tisca Chopra, Ishita, Samar and Vibhav. It’s a story about relationships and how two friends from India and Pakistan weather the storm or situations that split them. We have tried to show the life in a country such as the UAE. We want to show how a country like the UAE acts as a catalyst to bringing peace between two nationalities,” said Bhalla.
However, veteran actors Puri and Chopra are not a part of the UAE schedule.
“We have shot all over Dubai [at] Shaikh Zayed Road, Dubai Garden Glow and many iconic landmarks. The story will send the message of peace, love and how you have to go beyond what could be isolated incidents that harbour enemity ... We have kept away from war and how stories of India and Pakistan are shown in Hindi films,” said Bhalla, who is hoping to showcase Darmiyaan at the Dubai International Film Festival this year.
Darmiyaan is being made on a modest budget of approximately Dh3.67 million.
“The filming in Dubai has been going very smoothly, thanks to the fantastic support systems and Dubai Film & TV commission,” said Bhalla.
Read the full interview in tabloid! soon.
