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| Kapil Sharma got nervous when he was offered the role of delivery boy, and said he has forgotten the smell of sheep. |
'Zwegato' is Nandita Das's third film as a director. Kapil Sharma, who is called the king of comedy in the TV world, is playing the lead role in his film.
The film stars Kapil Sharma as Manas Mehto, who works as a food delivery boy after losing his job as a factory worker in Bhubaneswar.
After watching a video clip from an award show, Nandita got the idea of Kapil Sharma for the role. In this program, Kapil was hosted along with famous filmmaker Karan Johar.
Nandita Das says, “He seemed to be a very natural and spontaneous actor who was not influenced by anyone. He looked like a normal person.
Nandita Das then started following Kapil Sharma on Instagram and watched some more of his video clips. Only then did he realize that Kapil Sharma is a big star himself and he is not a common man. But even after that, Nandita continued to see the face of a common man in him.
When Nandita told her casting director about Kapil Sharma for the role of Manas Mehto, he was horrified.
When this film was offered to Kapil Sharma himself, he was also nervous. But after the release of the film, it is clear that Nandita's belief was proved right.
Staying true to his confidence, Kapil Sharma worked a lot on his language and attitude in rehearsals.
Nandita Das says, “She recalled her bygone days and embodied the character perfectly. They used to say that I had forgotten the smell of sheep.
Running from one air-conditioned room to another air-conditioned room, he had forgotten the scorching sun, but this film brought back his memory.
How was the story of the film made?
The concept of the film 'Zwegato' was originally created during the Corona crisis. Nandita Das planned to produce her 20-minute story as a feature film.
A 20-minute story was about a couple. Nandita combined the children, the family, and their struggle to make it into a film.
After making films based on historical research like Manto and Faraq, Nandita wanted to make a film based on spontaneous relationships.
He approached Samir Patil, the founder of the website Scroll and his friend Sameer Patil, for the script of the film. went.
The script of the film is based on data and research related to these issues. Along with this, the input of various youths working in food delivery is also included to make the film look completely relatable.
Nandita Das said, "The whole world is talking about the gig economy, that is, temporary wages, whether they are Amazon employees or Uber employees." In India too, women are opposing these companies. The discussion on this has also increased.
The plight of the daily wage laborers
According to Nandita Das, there is a situation of inequality and discrimination based on gender, caste, class, and religion in India and this gap is widening in the new economy.
Nandita says that her film is the story of people who are newly urbanized daily wage laborers, due to which people's lives have changed even during the Corona lockdown. She says that these people face discrimination and neglect.
He said, 'This is the story of those people who are in our lives but are not visible, during the Corona crisis, these people gave contactless (without touching) delivery, gave these people five-star rating, gave tips, A little humanity should be shown to them.'
In the daily life of a delivery boy, nothing is too big. They want to get some privileges by getting a better rating, but for this they have to make many compromises, sometimes even compromising their dignity.
According to Nandita Das, even after that, no matter how many difficulties they face, they find opportunities for happiness in their lives. "I have been interested in showing such nuances through films," she says.
In 'Zwegato' Manse's predicament is shown and there is no resolution after that.
Nandita Das says, 'I don't think cinema can change anything, nor can it solve problems, you can only show a mirror, just say that this is the life of these people if only people can sympathize. And they can bring out the hidden things.'
The main character of the film is Kapil Sharma as Manas Mehto, but Shahana Goswami has played the role of his wife equally brilliantly.
According to Nandita, Shahana Goswami has as much energy as Kapil Sharma. "I think I've always enjoyed writing female characters, even if the main character is male," she says.
Well, Kapil Sharma should be appreciated in another aspect as well, while working in the film, he mingled with the local artists.
Five of the actors in the film are from Mumbai, apart from them all are local actors from Bhubaneswar.
This story is about a family from Jharkhand living in Bhubaneswar. From this point of view, the film made in Hindi cinema is connected to a new place, new people, and a different reality. All this feels like a refreshment while watching the movie.
Streets of Bhubaneswar will be seen in Hindi cinema
Nandita Das says, “There are many Indias within an Inya. I have done films in ten languages. I have been to many parts of the country.
I have also been involved in social work in the early days of my life. I always feel that filmmakers should also tell about a new place, language, and people.
By the way, Nandita belongs to Bhubaneswar, though she got a chance to stay in Bhubaneswar during the shooting of this film.
"Till now I have to tell people that I am from Odisha," says Nandita. People think I am Bengali and I tell them no, I am from Odisha. I am not a sectarian regionalist. '
Well, Nandita wanted the film to be shot in a new emerging city other than a metro. Elaborating on this, he said, “I think the fusion of traditional trends and technology is more evident in emerging cities.
I feel real Indianness in these cities. So I thought why not shoot in Bhubaneswar Jai, which has not been shown yet. Thus in mainstream Hindi films.
"I want films to reach people and start discussions even if they don't answer all the questions," says Nandita.
"Hopefully, Zwegato will start a conversation about the life and hardships of a delivery boy."