Assamese Action Thriller 'Rudra' to Feature Emotional Core, Says Director Roopak Gogoi

Acclaimed Assamese film director Roopak Gogoi said his multi-crore action thriller 'Rudra', which is set for pan-India release by the end of this year, will also have emotional quotient.

In an interaction with PTI, the award-winning filmmaker said Assamese superstar Ravi Sarma will play the lead role in the movie, which will have around 60 senior and junior actors from film and theatre backgrounds.

''The movie will be an action thriller but it will also have some emotional quotient, depicting certain situations in the rural society,'' Gogoi, known for his critically acclaimed children's film 'Tumi Malala' (You are my Malala), said.

Gogoi, who has also written the script of 'Rudra', said that shooting, which will take place in Assam, Meghalaya and Andhra Pradesh, is set to commence next week and is expected to be completed by July.

He said the production unit is presently working with a specialised team to ensure high-quality action in the film.

''We have brought experts from outside the state and they are training around 30 local youths, which will be useful for Assamese cinema in the future. Usually stuntmen are brought from Hyderabad, Mumbai and Chennai for action in Assamese films, because of which production becomes very expensive,'' he said.

The filmmaker said he is aiming for release of the film by November end.

Asked about the budget, Gogoi said, ''Initially we had decided on a budget, but later realised that if we stick to that figure, probably we would not be able to provide the entertainment we have planned for the audience. Hence, we have kept the budget open and will invest as per requirement.'' 'Rudra' is produced by Rajesh Kumar More, O P Garodia, Arvind Garodia, Gautam Beria, Anup Beria and Manoj Kumar Kedia.

More said that 'Rudra' will be a big-budget film.

When asked how he would deal if he faced a situation similar to that of an Assamese superstar, whose big-budget film recently bombed in the box office following his change in stance on CAA, Gogoi said, ''A film has to be worth watching... only then it will be successful despite attempts by some sections to sabotage it.'' Gogoi also disapproved of the diktat of a militant organisation to hall owners to run a particular Assamese film for three weeks, failing which no Hindi movie would be allowed to screen.

''This should not happen... If there is no audience for that particular Assamese film, what will the hall owner do for three weeks? If in this case, the producer requested the extremist group to issue such a diktat, such things should not be done at all,'' he asserted.

On 'Tumi Malala', Gogoi said the story revolved around the friendship between the daughter of a maid and that of her employer in the backdrop of the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

''We had to face some difficulties in a few Indian festivals as the topic was slightly controversial due to the political scenario of the country. However, we faced no such issue in international events. We believe our effort was recognised by cine lovers,'' Gogoi said.

'Tumi Malala' was the only film from India to be screened at the Beijing International Children's Film Festival 2022 as an 'official selection' among the 10 foreign entrants and it received the Golden Flowers Award in the event, he added.