Nagarjuna and Sonal Chauhan-starrer 'The Ghost' has 12 high-octane action sequences shot by different choreographers in different countries, which have become the talk of the tinsel town.
Published Sep 26, 2022 | 3:56 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 26, 2022 | 3:56 PM
Director Parveen Sattaru. (South First)
Actor Nagarjuna Akkineni and director Praveen Sattaru’s upcoming film The Ghost is all set to hit the screens on 5 October.
The film is making headlines since the ‘Tamahagane’ teaser caught the fancy of the netizens. It boasts of high-octane action sequences and stunts. The film promises to be a visual extravaganza on the big screen and has Sonal Chauhan as the leading lady.
Right from the day The Ghost was announced, there have been a lot of expectations from this action movie. Not just fans of Nagarjuna, but movie buffs too have been eagerly waiting for its release.
In an exclusive interview with South First, director Praveen Sattaru opens up about the challenges he faced while making the film, what it feels like to work with Nagarjuna, the much-talked-about action sequences, how Covid-19 affected the project, and a lot more.
Q. This film is an action drama. You could have chosen a young actor to play the role of ‘Vikram’. Why Nagarjuna Akkineni?
A. Unlike my previous films, where I first worked on the story and script before finalising the cast, The Ghost is different.
When I collaborated with the producers, they said that they wanted to do a film with Nagarjuna, which excited me. Well, who doesn’t want to work with Nagarjuna? That’s when I started writing the story and script, keeping Nagarjuna garu in mind.
It’s an honour to team up with him. I always wanted to work with a dedicated actor like him. In such a case, why would I go for any young actor?
Director Praveen Sattaru explains a scene to Nagarjuna during the shoot of The Ghost. (Supplied)
Q. Were you sure that Nagarjuna could pull off such high-octane action sequences that were designed in the film? Was he trained for it?
A. I was pretty sure that he’d pull it off — and he did.
I would say that Nagarjuna garu is fitter than any young actor. He has a dedicated fitness regime. When it comes to his diet, workout, and fitness, I have not seen anybody as sincere as him.
When I gave him the script, Nagarjuna garu went through every small detail of the action sequences. He was excited that he would get to perform all those stunts. He was trained for it. You will get to watch and thoroughly enjoy all that machismo on the big screens soon.
Q. There are 12 action sequences in The Ghost, and each of them was designed by a different action choreographer. Any particular reason for this?
A. Yes, of course. Each action sequence was shot in a different country. The criterion for each one of them was different.
We wanted people who could design and convincingly execute the sequences as per our imagination/visualisation. Since each action choreographer is an expert in designing different action sequences, we chose them accordingly.
The Dubai action sequence was one of the toughest ones. It was very hot and humid. We couldn’t handle the high temperatures, and then we were also expected to follow these Covid guidelines and restrictions.
It was then that we managed to get Kichha from Thailand. He and his team performed an amazing sequence in Dubai. Every sequence has been designed keeping Nagarjuna garu and the backdrop in mind. So, they all came out really well.
Q. There were the Covid-19 norms… and then Kajal Agarwal walked out of the film. You did face quite a few obstacles while filming. How did you handle it all?
A. It was emotionally draining. Kajal was the first choice for the lead lady, but she had to quit after she conceived. Then I narrated the story to Sonal Chauhan.
She is pretty good at stunts and action scenes. She underwent rigorous training in martial arts for this movie. And I must say, she did a great job.
The Covid pandemic also affected us. There were too many safety norms and restrictions. Every now and then, someone or the other from our team tested positive for Covid, following which we had to suspend the shoot.
There were too many challenges which we successfully overcame. We worked for more than two years on this film and finally, it is ready for release.
Q. What was the most challenging part while filming The Ghost?
Nagarjuna and Sonal Chauhan in a still from The Ghost movie. (Supplied)
A. Everything about the film was challenging. We shot in different countries and every country threw a new challenge at us.
In Dubai, you can’t drive a car beyond a particular speed. When we were shooting the chase sequences and stunts, we had to drive the car at a particular speed.
Adding to this, the stuntmen who came from Thailand couldn’t speak Urdu or Hindi. And the ones in Dubai couldn’t speak English. It became a challenge for us to communicate with them all. Most importantly, we had to do everything within the budget.
Q. Up until now, you’ve teamed up with young actors. But you’ve paired with a senior actor like Nagarjuna for The Ghost. Tell us about your work experience.
A. It was amazing. The frames used to look pretty dull on the monitor sometimes. But as soon as Nagarjuna enters the frame, everything changes and looks “wow”!
He is pretty dedicated and sincere in his work. He is someone who understands what the director wants and performs accordingly. He doesn’t really need to learn the dialogues by heart and just goes with the flow whenever needed. He is a director’s actor and an amazing person to work with.
