He says the delay wasn’t in his hands, “I didn’t exactly choose to delay my directorial debut; it was more out of necessity. Choice nahin tha Sir. Majboori thi , ha ha . Something most people won’t believe is that I’ve been trying to make a film for nearly 7 years now. Practically pitching my heart out to anyone who’d listen. I’ve done hundreds of narrations to actors, producers, financiers, studios. But the lack of a big box-office grossing actor made my most personal story a risky bet. Despite all the rejection I faced, the journey was invaluable. I got to know the ins and outs of the industry, receiving encouragement from seasoned professionals. I mean, sure, it wasn’t easy finding someone to back my film, but I walked away richer in experience and connections. No regrets there. Only gratitude.”
He admits it is very difficult to prove oneself as an independent filmmaker when your father is Hansal Mehta. “It’s a unique challenge. But, I’m not here to outshine anyone, least of all Hansal Sir. Just being related to him is an honour. If my work can be half as good as his, I’d consider it a monumental achievement.”
Surprisingly the subject for Lootere wasn’t Jai’s idea. “This is not a subject I developed. It was our creator Shaailesh R Singh’s brainchild. Anshuman Sinha gave him the story which he later developed with Vishal Kapoor and Suparn Varma into a full fledged series. I remember reading the first episode, and my mind instantly went into a flashback. I remembered all the films I grew up loving and watching. Terminator 2, True Lies, Indiana Jones, and so many more. The scope to create that same scale and exhilaration is what influenced my decision to say yes to Lootere.”
As the son of a dedicated filmmaker , Jai admits he has grown up watching the best films across the world . “I’ve been fortunate enough to be exposed to all kinds of cinema thanks to my father, Hansal Sir, and his dvd library memberships along with my mother’s book collection that mainly consisted of books by Stephen King, Shirley Jackson and R.L. Stine.This exposure is what introduced me to such a wide range of stories and different styles of storytelling. To answer the earlier , yes, I do enjoy the swashbuckling genre , but it’s not the only thing I’d like to do. I’m a sucker for nostalgia and all I’m trying to do is hopefully have some kid somewhere feel what I did when I first watched those movies.”
As for the casting Jai admits he followed a merit-based approach. “It is something I’ve learned from Hansal Sir and Anurag Kashyap Sir. I have worked in casting before and I enjoy auditioning actors. It’s fascinating to see who might bring something special to the story. For Vikrant, Vivek Gomber stood out amongst a few others, after a thorough four-month audition process, fitting the character perfectly. As a matter of fact, his final audition was something I directed myself and was a 20-minute improvisation! Believe it or not, his final test inspired me to make changes in the script based on that performance! As for Amruta Khanvilkar,she hustled her way through Mukesh Chhabra’s office when she learned of a show searching for a character she might be able to portray. She forced Mukesh Chhabra to test her! And when Mukesh sent me her test, I was blown away with her spot-on performance, despite not knowing much about the character or the full story.Rajat Kapoor Sir, is somebody I really admire as both a filmmaker and an actor. He did not need to test for the role. Mukesh, Hansal Sir and I all felt like he was a natural fit to the role. He’s also one of my favourite people on set. He knows how to bring everyone together.Chirag Vohra, was a last-minute replacement due to scheduling changes. But he turned out to be an incredible find for the part! He brought an unexpected depth to his role.Gaurav Sharma, is someone I previously worked with on Gangs of Wasseypur, where I was an Assistant Director. I felt his talent was always under-appreciated and he never got a role that he could truly flourish in. Our casting process was a mix of auditions, intuition, and happy accidents.Chandan Roy Sanyal is somebody I’ve enjoyed watching since we first saw him in Kaminey. He was a natural fit for the character. I often joke with him that Ajay Kotwal is actually based on him. “Biopic hai aapka Chandu Bhai” is what I say.”
After shooting there for Lootere Jai has fallen in love Cape Town. “Cape Town is stunning, easily the most beautiful place I’ve had the pleasure of visiting. If I could, I’d move there in a heartbeat. The experience was enjoyable, thanks to our fantastic team, but we did encounter challenges. Filming in rough neighbourhoods was tough, and the unpredictable weather often disrupted our schedule. The local crew joked, “Cape Town has 4 seasons twice a day,” and they weren’t wrong. The cold was a test, especially for actors wearing light costumes. Plus, shooting on this massive ship docked near the port, we encountered winds up to 45 km/h, making it tricky to manage our equipment and keep everything and everyone steady (Haha). Despite these hurdles, I wouldn’t change a thing. The unpredictability added a genuine, vibrant and spontaneous energy to our show.
There’re some delightful performances by African actors. Jai is all praise for them. “The African actors in our show were incredible. I consider them to be a true highlight. We discovered everyone through James Ryan, our local casting director, who was fantastic to work with. I remember him loving the script and really connecting with the characters. There were almost 200 people that auditioned for these roles. Along with my Associate, Omar Iyer, and my DA, Amogh, I would review the tapes and then personally conduct call-backs to see how the actors responded to my direction and spontaneous script changes. I have a habit of tweaking things on set to keep it interesting. Once cast, directing them was a breeze. Even the guys with no formal training seemed like naturals! They were insanely dedicated to their characters and the show. For many, it was their first significant acting opportunity, but you’ve watched the show. Their performances speak volumes of their talent, commitment and capabilities. I’m fortunate to have had the chance to work with them.”
Jai admits he feels a mix of emotions now that his premiere effort is out in the universe. “It’s a cocktail of emotions. Pride, because it’s finally out there, making its way; nerves, because its now in the hands and fate of the audience; and a bit of separation anxiety, because, well, it’s something I’ve lived with and nurtured for nearly 3 years.This show has been crafted with a vision to surprise and bring a newness to the vast ocean of Indian OTT.When our trailer hit, excitement mixed with nerves. It was like stepping into a well-known trap where everyone starts comparing new shows to old movie classics, a cycle our industry has often perpetuated.I promise everybody that I am willing to confront this challenge by being completely original.Choosing to tell this story in multiple languages worried some people, but I believe in the power of film to speak to everyone, no matter the language. I’ve always felt that movies, even from far-off places, could tell their stories to anyone. Lootere is our way of proving just that.”
