‘Dharamji is a great poet’: Sachin Gupta on directing Dharmendra and his new short film ‘Pakki Wali Yaari’

Sachin Gupta’s short film ‘Pakki Wali Yaari’ shows deep-rooted friendship and reminds the audience of the importance of nurturing and celebrating relationships.

Pakki Wali Yaari is a heartwarming short film that celebrates the true spirit of friendship! Writer-director Sachin Gupta’s upcoming project features Himanshu Goel, Abhishek Chavan and URI actor Riva Arora. The actors play three friends who are as fat as thieves.

‘Pakki Wali Yaari’ shows their deep-rooted friendship and reminds the audience of the importance of nurturing and celebrating relationships. Excerpts from the director’s interview with india.com:

While describing your movie, you call it a “clean movie.” Why do you think it is so important as a filmmaker to emphasize that no intimacy is shown in the film? If a movie does show that, what’s wrong with it?

As a filmmaker, highlighting our film ‘Pakki Wali Yaari’ with Himanshu Goel, Abhishek Chavan and Riva Arora as ‘clean’ refers to the absence of explicit or intimate content. Sometimes it is important to emphasize this aspect because different audiences have different preferences and sensibilities when it comes to intimacy on screen. It is essential to respect different viewpoints and preferences when it comes to filmmaking. While there is nothing wrong with films that contain intimacy per se, certain individuals or communities may appreciate the option of watching films that focus on other aspects of storytelling, without explicit content.

Many people are looking for movies that they can enjoy with their families, that offer families the chance to bond, engage in meaningful discussions, and create lasting memories. In our films, we focus more on storytelling, character development and emotional depth without relying on explicit material.

Bollywood has sought out the issue of friendship since time immemorial. What else is there to discover in this genre?

Bollywood can further explore unconventional friendships, complex dynamics, evolving relationships, female friendships, the impact of technology and friendships in different settings to revive the genre of friendship movies.

Since you recently directed Dharmendra in a short film, can you tell us about his passion for cinema and how he approaches a particular scene?

Dharamji is known for his deep passion for cinema, and his dedication to his craft is reflected in his approach to every scene he plays. He researches and studies his characters thoroughly. During the shooting of our short film Mehak, we had long discussions, brainstorming sessions and rehearsals to gain a collective understanding of the purpose of the scene and the dynamics between the characters.

Once on set, Dharamji is completely absorbed in the moment. He pays close attention to details including gestures, facial expressions and body language to bring truth and depth to his performance. He is also a great human being and a great poet.

You have directed Shweta Tiwari in a movie, have you seen her daughter act in ‘Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan’? Would you like to work with Palak and Shweta soon?

I worked with Shweta Tiwari in our short film ‘Dryfruit Ka Halwa’ and it would be great to have Shweta and Palak together in a film. Shweta is very disciplined and a brilliant actor and she made two short films with us. I have seen Palak’s performance in ‘Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan’ and she has a very strong screen presence and has natural acting skills and ability to connect with the audience effortlessly making her a promising talent to look forward to look into the future.

What’s the best thing about making a movie about friendship?

The best thing about making a film about friendship is the opportunity to explore and portray the depth and complexity of human relationships. Friendship is a universal theme that resonates with people from all walks of life, and our short film ‘Pakki Wali Yaari’ around it evokes powerful emotions and creates a sense of connection with the audience. Our actors Himanshu Goel and Abhishek Chavan are real friends in real life too and I saw a very strong bond between them which really helped us while shooting.