‘World War II is humongous…Please watch ‘Bawaal’ for all your answers’: Director Nitesh Tiwari
DUBAI: Director Nitesh Tiwari on Sunday said “Bawaal” is a special coming-of-age film as it derives a lot from his personal life experiences.
Starring Varun Dhawan and Janhvi Kapoor, the romance drama revolves around a high school history teacher Ajay ‘Ajju’ Dixit, who enjoys a mini celebrityhood in his hometown.
The film navigates the World War II trail in Europe and shows the lead couple struggle with their marriage, forcing Ajay to confront his internal war.
The trailer of “Bawaal” was launched here at the iconic ocean line and hotel Queen Elizabeth II.
“This film is very special probably because there is a lot of personal stuff involved in it. This is the story which needs to be told. It is all about the way we look at life, the way we look at people. There are certain life experiences which change us. It is (about) coming-of-age and a layered piece emotionally,” Nitesh said at the global press event.
“Bawaal” was shot across various locations in India and overseas, including Poland, Netherlands and Germany.
Some of the scenes in the trailer feature sequences of the Auschwitz concentration camp.
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Without divulging details about the connection of the Second World War with the film, the director said he has tried to incorporate chapters from history which contribute to the arc of the film’s lead characters.
“I like to keep my cards close to my chest. The idea of the trailer is to create curiosity. Please watch the movie for all your answers. I’ve kept the incidents and events, which kind of play an important role in the arc of the characters and their relationships in the movie. Every incident has been carefully chosen. World War II is humongous, there is so much to say,” he added.
Known for critical and commercial hit films such as “Dangal” and “Chhichhore”, Nitesh said he hopes “Bawaal” will both entertain and urge people to “reset priorities”.
“A movie should not get over when it gets over. A part of it should remain with you, when you finish it. That is what I’ve been trying to do with all my films. I hope ‘Bawaal’ will not only entertain you but will also make you take a pause and reset your priorities,” he said.
The biggest challenge, according to the director, was to come up with a story.
He credited his wife, writer-director Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari, for coming up with a powerful script like “Bawaal”.
“I’m grateful to Ashwiny for writing the story and being generous enough to give it to me. I know how difficult it is for creators to part ways with their babies,” he said.
Ashwiny, who is also co-producing the film via her and Nitesh’s Earthsky Pictures along with Sajid Nadiadwala’s Nadiadwala Grandsons, said “Bawaal” is also an ode to her father-in-law.
“Nitesh’s father was an education head across Madhya Pradesh and a history teacher. Of course, he was not like a character which we have created for Varun. Papa always used to teach a lot of history and wanted to go across Europe. See and understand what actually happened in those places which he had read about. I was supposed to take him to Germany, (but) he fell sick and I couldn’t take him to Germany. He is no more. ‘Bawaal’ is also an ode to Nitesh’s father,” she added.
The film also had Nitesh and Varun bond over their Kanpur connection, where they filmed the high school sequences, the actor said.
“Bawaal” will release on Prime Video in India and across 200 countries and territories on July 21.
Varun said it was a memorable experience to visit Kanpur and shoot in the same school where his father, filmmaker David Dhawan, studied as a child.
“The school in which Ajju is a teacher is actually the school where my father and my uncle studied. He was originally from Kanpur. We used to talk about it and reminisce about his days there,” he said, adding that three of his most favourite directors — Nitesh, “Bhediya” director Amar Kaushik, and his father are all from Kanpur.
For Janhvi, visiting Auschwitz was an emotional experience.
“When we were in Poland, we went to see Auschwitz and it was a moving experience. It taught us a lot about the gravity of what we were speaking about in the film,” the actor, who plays Nisha in “Bawaal”, added.
The trailer launch event was also attended by producers Sajid Nadiadwala, Warda Nadiadwala and Manish Menghani, director of content licensing, Prime Video India.
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