By: Mohnish Singh
Filmmaker Ali Abbas Zafar, who boasts of some of the most successful Hindi films of recent times on his directorial resume, including Sultan (2016), Tiger Zinda Hai (2017), and Bharat (2019), recently added a new feather to his cap by turning producer with Ananya Panday and Ishaan Khatter’s Khaali Peeli (2020).
Weeks after the release of Khaali Peeli, Zafar has now shifted his entire focus to his next directorial offering which still remains untitled. For the uninitiated, the filmmaker is set to helm a superhero flick with his favourite actress Katrina Kaif in the lead. He is currently scouting for locations in Dubai.
Spilling some beans on the film, Zafar tells a publication, “We have locked locations in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Soon, I will head to Poland and Georgia for the recce. We plan to shoot it across three to four countries.”
Apart from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Poland, and Georgia, a good chunk of the film will be shot in India as well. “We will shoot a chunk of the film in India. We need mountainous terrain for those portions, and have zeroed in on Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Delhi,” he informs.
Finding the right locations to shoot amid the Coronavirus pandemic is a difficult task. “Every location demands a Covid-19 test. So, it has become more time-consuming, and heavy on the budget,” admits the filmmaker.
Katrina Kaif, who has starred in Ali Abbas Zafar’s all directorial offerings, excluding Sultan, will undergo rigorous training before becoming the superhero that the filmmaker has envisioned. She will first wrap up her upcoming films Phone Bhoot and Tiger 3 before commencing work on the superhero flick.
“My film demands an elaborate set-up. So, we will take it on floors only next year after Katrina wraps up Phone Bhoot and Tiger 3. She has been working out to maintain her agility, but as soon as she allots her dates, we will begin her physical prep,” concludes the filmmaker.
