Hit and run thriller

Cast Farooq Shaikh, Celina Jaitley, Abhimanyu Singh
Director Mahesh Nair
Rating TBA

And kicking it off is Accident On Hill Road. With an intriguing story and impressive cast, this dark-humoured, psychological thriller could leave an impact on the box office.

The plot
Sonam Chopra (Jaitley), a nursing assistant, prefers to unwind by partying with her drug-peddling lover Sid (Singh). One night on returning home after a rocking party, Sonam accidentally knocks over a pedestrian, Prakash Srivastav (Shaikh). The accident leaves Srivastav stuck on the windsheild. Shocked by the event, Sonam decides to scoot from the spot without informing the police or even getting medical help for the injured. With Sid's help, Sonam drives her car back to her garage. And there unfolds a psychological battle for survival. 

Based on a true story
The plot is based on a true story that occurred in the US. Nair, who makes his directorial debut with this film, has done extensive research on the subject.

"Accident On Hill Road is, to put it simply, a hit-and-run tale. I sincerely believe that the audience will find the film an entertaining, value-for-money thriller," says Nair.

Besides being an engrossing funny thriller, the film makes you wonder about Jaitley's self-centred character's attitude and Shaikh's character's mantra of ‘live and let live', says Nair.

 
Unusual cast
Jaitley is better known for her glamorous roles and it's not often that she gets paired with a power house performer like Shaikh. "The film offered me the rare challenge of casting Celina and Farooq together. Trust me, both their performances have surpassed my expectations. Celina has excelled with a power-packed performance while Farooq will shock the audience with an act that is physically and mentally challenging," says Nair.

Meanwhile, Jaitley can't stop raving about her role. "Accident On Hill Road is a rare film that gives me tremendous scope to prove my acting prowess. Being an unusual thriller, it should keep the audiences on the edge of their seats," says Jaitley.

The actress full of praise for her co-stars: "It's an honour to work with Farooq Shaikh, an actor par excellence. It was a great learning experience to work with him. It's amazing to watch him in one of the most unusual roles," she enthuses. "Abhimanyu Singh is another young actor who is extremely talented."

Shaikh re-emerges from hibernation after last year's stunning act as a comic stock broker in Warner Bros. Saas Bahu Aur Sensex. This is also Singh's first outing after his daring act as a rebellious character in Anurag Kashyap's Gulaal.

Despite an unlikely cast and an intriguing storyline, Nair might just hit it off with an unpredictable thriller.

Film file

■ The film is the first mainstream Bollywood film to be shot on High Definition Viper camera, the one used in the Johnny Depp-starrer Public Enemies.

■ Jaitley was asked to pile on the kilos to look like an average healthy Indian woman.

■ Nair worked earlier as Ram Gopal Varma's assistant director.

■ Singh made his acting debut in the Ajay Devgn-starrer Divyashakti in the early Nineties.

■ The music is composed by Raju Singh, who delivered the hit Soniyo and O Jaana tracks for Raaz - The Mystery Continues.