Writer – director Atanu Mukherjee’s debut feature Rukh which stars Manoj Bajpayee is the latest offering from Drishyam Films after the acclaimed Newton. Rukh which is directed by Atanu Mukherjee, produced by Drishyam Films & presented by Eros International got released in theatres across India on 27th Oct, 2017.
The film which is an emotional story of a father & son, also stars Adarsh Gourav, Smita Tambe & Kumud Mishra and features some soul stirring music by Amit Trivedi.
Keeping in mind the theme of the film, an innovative social campaign was recently launched to promote the film. Titled My Dad My Hero, the campaign was flagged off by Manoj Bajpayee and saw him & his co – stars from Rukh share fond memories of their fathers and the life lessons they have learnt from them.
The campaign has slowly & steadily gained momentum with each passing day as some of the biggest names of Bollywood have enthusiastically taken to social media to talk about the bond they shared with their fathers. These include Imtiaz Ali, Anurag Kashyap, Radhika Apte, Vicky Kaushal, Shweta Tripathi, Gulshan Devaiah & Shreyas Talpade amongst others.
A father is the 1st friend & hero of every individual who inspires them to bravely face the battle of life. The My Dad My Hero campaign sees celebrities talk about how their fathers inspired & helped them to achieve their dreams and become the successful individuals they are today. They also talked about how the quality of their fathers to face every obstacle bravely and not buckle under pressure inspired them to pursue their personal & professional challenges successfully.
Manoj Bajpayee, the lead actor of Rukh averred “My father never faltered & lost his cool even under the worst of circumstances. He wanted me to be a doctor since he couldn’t fulfill his dream of becoming one. He was a little disappointed when he came to know that I wanted to be an actor instead. But even after realizing that I am not interested in becoming a doctor, he wholeheartedly supported me in realizing my dream of being an actor.”
Director Anurag Kashyap averred “I was 8 – 9 years old when I was sent to a boarding school for the 1st time though I never wanted to go to one. And when I met my father for the 1st time after being in boarding for 6 months, he took me out & showed me movies. That was his way of expressing his love for me. He is not a very expressive person and this was the 1st time ever that he expressed the love & the affection he had towards me. Hence it’s a very special memory for me. ”
Actor Vicky Kaushal who had also featured in Drishyam Films’ much loved Masaan averred, “My dad always believed that one should give 100% to their present & their future will be better than what they want it to be. This has always been his motto and it is going to stay with me throughout my life. While I was growing up, he didn’t force me to excel in academics. But he ensured that I imbibed some great principles such as honesty & sincerity.”
Recollecting the memories he shared with his father, Director Imtiaz Ali averred, “My father has been a big influence in my life. He taught me to never follow money. He used to always say that if you follow money it will go further away from you. But if you do your work sincerely it will always follow you.”
Recollecting the life lessons that his own father taught him, Manish Mundra, the Founder of Drishyam Films & the Producer of Rukh, shared, “The most important thing my father has taught me since childhood is that a person never gets anything before it’s the right time & fate. And the important thing to remember when you move ahead in life is that you should not leave behind the people who need you. If someone needs you & you cannot help them, then you end up losing that person’s trust. When I think of my dad I remember that he taught me that there is a time that will come for everyone and this time keeps changing. So it’s important that we respect this time & remain humble. Nobody can get more or less than what fate has in store for them.”
Incidentally speaking Rukh was a part of the inaugural Drishyam – Sundance Institute Screenwriters Labs 2015 & also a part of NFDC India’s Film Bazaar Recommends 2016. A former Berlinale Talent (2015), Atanu Mukherjee is an alumnus of Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute. He has also directed the short film The Gatekeeper, which was a part of South Asian International Film Festival, New York 2014 & even bagged the “Best Short Fiction” award at IDSFFK Kerala 2015.
The scripted scenario of Rukh reaveals: Away from home in a boarding school, 18 year old Dhruv is ignorant about the ongoing crisis in his family. His life takes an unexpected turn as he gets the news of his father’s death in a car accident. As he copes with the tragedy, hidden truths begin to unravel. Dhruv’s father Divakar went bankrupt before his death. Even as his mother Nandini struggles to shield him from the truth, Dhruv starts looking for answers. Was his father’s death an accident or a premeditated murder? The search leads to a series of unexpected revelations, as he discovers the shades of his father’s personality he had never seen before. Rukh is about the journey of a boy rediscovering his lost connections & familial ties, through the secrets & memories he must confront on his way.
Drishyam Films is a company born out of love for cinema, Drishyam Films aims to build a platform for unique voices of Indian independent cinema & create global content with rich Indian stories. Their international award – winning films include Ankhon Dekhi, Masaan, Dhanak, Waiting, Umrika & Newton (which is now India’s official entry to the Oscars 2018). Their upcoming films include Nila Madhab Panda’s Kadvi Hawa starring Sanjay Mishra & Ranvir Shorey. Drishyam Films partnered with the Sundance Institute, USA to organize a Screenwriters’ lab for Indian writers for 2 successive years. They have also set up a VFX studio specializing in post production & visual effects for feature films & commercials.
