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Ashmit Patel's Upcoming Film Dhananjay Might Release As A Web Series (Exclusive)
Ashmit Patel is all set for a filmic return. He has two features up his sleeve: the first is a Hindi, Tamil and Telugu trilingual and will soon have a Hyderabad climax shoot schedule. He has just signed up for a second film, an Uttar Pradesh based political crime thriller called Dhananjay. The film has started its shoot with a song sequence.
"The principal shooting will begin next month in Agra. We plan to wrap up the shoot by June end. If all goes well, we will hope to release it by year-end 2021," says Ashmit while speaking to Filmibeat.
However, being a pragmatist, Ashmit accepts that given the prevailing COVID-19 scare, most film schedules have gone for a toss. So, the makers of Dhananjay, Aarav Films Production Pvt. Ltd., may release the film on OTT as a web series.
"Our edgy script has enough juice to last 8-10 episodes with a hook line after each—the initially planned 150 minutes run time may be increased depending on the evolving situation."
Ashmit does not feel that director Akhil Parashar has chosen the Mirzapur style story only for saleability. "Akhil Parashar has been toying with this idea for a long time," he says.
Apart from the above films, Ashmit is surfing the online crest. The success of Peshawar (on Ullu app) has landed him two more web series in his kitty.
"I can't talk about the new web series yet. It was a real challenge to get into the head of the mastermind terrorist Abbu Shaami who massacred 132 school kids in the Army Public School in Peshawar (Pakistan)."
"I also have two short films. The first has just dropped last weekend on the new app Bollyfame. Roohdaar is a paranormal love story; you will find similarity with the Hollywood film The Sixth Sense."
Is Roohdaar a bold short film? "There is a lovemaking scene, as our theme is an extramarital affair, but you must not have seen anything like that. The director was very aesthetic in his approach. My TV co-star, Kate Sharma, pleasantly surprised me with her acting chops," he reveals.
So how has the response been to the short film?
“Good. Shorts are the new in-thing, for today’s audiences have minimal attention span. But yes, it is a big creative challenge to entice the viewer in 10 minutes flat."
Apart from OTT, Ashmit would also like to return to TV by challenging his fear in reality shows like Khatron Ke Khiladi. "The reality format (also Bigg Boss, Super Dude and Power Couple) is also interesting, for you don't act, but be yourself," he says.
Over the years, some of Ashmit's films did not work at the box office. Did he make wrong choices?
"No, I made those decisions based on my then financial and other situations. No regrets, for they have made me who I am."
He also takes the media's curiosity about his personal life in his stride. "Everyone wants to know what happens in an actor's personal life, and I am not the only target. But most of the news is wrong, and is conjecture,"
he feels.
His engagement with actress Mahek Chahal had been called off. We ask him when he is planning to walk the aisle. "I don’t know. I am single at the moment," he says.
