While the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a shutdown of theatres and forced filmmakers to take to OTT platforms for releasing their projects, filmmaker-writer Faruk Kabir has no regrets. In fact, he’s glad that his Vidyut Jammwal and Shivaleeka Oberoi-starrer, Khuda Haafiz released digitally. “I expected the story to resonate with the youth, but since it released on OTT, people across all age groups reached out to me and told me how the film impacted them,” he says.
Since the film was received well globally, the makers announced soon after the release that Khuda Haafiz would have a sequel. Faruk says that he always knew that the film would require a second part. He says, “The story of Sameer and Nargis (the lead actors) remained unfinished at the end of the film. I had once shared the idea of a sequel with Vidyut, so that his imagination could take flight. Post the success of the film, Kumarji (Kumar Mangat, producer) was eager I carry the journey forward.”
Khuda Haafiz was inspired by the story of a real-life newlywed couple. Faruk says that the idea of the sequel came to his mind because of the couple and the various incidents from their life that he would like to recreate on screen. The director has about three months of writing to do before the sequel goes on the floors in April, 2021. While Khuda Haafiz was majorly shot in Uzbekistan, the location for shooting the sequel is yet to be finalised. “We might shoot the film in two different locations,” says Faruk, adding that the sequel will be a bigger challenge for the lead pair and a more difficult film to approach emotionally.
Talking about his lead actor, Vidyut, and the bond he shares with him, Faruk says, “Our relationship goes beyond films. After a long time, I’ve found a friend within the industry. Our conversations are never limited to cinema. I want to showcase the depth in his personality on screen. As far as his character in the film goes, the sequel will see him do action sequences, as that’s his forte, but only as per the requirement of the character.”
Faruk hasn’t finalised the rest of the cast yet, but reveals that there will be three-four significant secondary characters who are still being developed.
Ms. Soumya Vajpayee
Senior Entertainment & Lifestyle Journalist
