Tell
us
about
your
Journey
so
far,
How
did
you
start?
The
challenges
along
the
way
and
your
learnings
working
in
Bollywood
as
an
outsider

A
–
I
began
my
journey
back
in
2006
without
any
formal
education
from
a
film
school.
However,
I
had
a
burning
passion
for
storytelling,
and
that
was
my
driving
force.
Initially,
breaking
into
the
industry
was
tough,
especially
without
any
connections
or
experience.
I
remember
spending
hours
outside
the
offices
of
major
production
houses,
observing
people
coming
and
going,
trying
to
identify
the
right
individuals
to
approach
for
opportunities.
Eventually,
my
persistence
paid
off
and
I
landed
a
job
as
an
intern
on
a
Balaji
TV
show,
and
that’s
how
it
all
started.

Once
I
got
my
foot
in
the
door,
things
started
to
progress.
I
was
extremely
hardworking
and
good
at
the
job
that
was
assigned
to
me,that
earned
recommendations
from
colleagues.
This
led
to
opportunities
to
work
as
an
assistant
director
on
various
TV
shows
such
as
“Kusum,”
“Remix,” and
“India
Calling.”
However,
assisting
Goldie
Behl
on
“Drona”
provided
me
with
exposure
to
the
world
of
films.

From
there,
I
transitioned
into
working
on
several
noteworthy
Directors
like
Ayan
Mukerjee,
Karan
Johar
and
films
including
“Wake
Up
Sid,”
“Yeh
Jawaani
Hai
Deewani,”
“Brothers,”
“Gippi,”
“Ae
Dil
Hai
Mushkil,”
and
“Brahmastra.”
Each
project
brought
its
own
set
of
challenges
and
learning
experiences,
contributing
to
my
growth
as
a
filmmaker.

Reflecting
on
these
years,
I
realise
that
they
served
as
my
film
school.
Through
hands-on
experience
and
exposure
to
diverse
projects,
I
learned
invaluable
lessons
about
the
art
and
craft
of
filmmaking.
While
I
may
not
have
attended
a
traditional
film
school,
the
practical
knowledge
and
skills
acquired
during
these
years
have
been
very
instrumental
in
me
as
a
Director
today.

What
inspired
you
to
delve
into
the
story
of
Balakot
and
its
aftermath?

A
–
When
my
producers
at
Sphire
origins
Mr
Sunjoy
Wadhwa
approached
me
for
the
show
and
narrated
the
idea
as
a
filmmaker,
I
was
drawn
to
the
complexities
of
this
narrative
and
the
opportunity
it
presented
to
explore
themes
such
as
courage,
sacrifice,
and
the
human
spirit.
I
felt
a
sense
of
responsibility
to
shed
light
on
the
untold
story
and
perspectives
surrounding
the
Pulwama
attacks
and
the
events
leading
up
to
the
Balakot
strikes
and
aftermath.
The
aim
was
to
go
beyond
the
surface-level
headlines
and
dive
into
the
deeper
understanding
of
these
events
which
is
not
known
to
the
people.
I
was
intrigued
by
the
behind
the
scenes
drama
that
unfolds
within
the
closed
doors
of
intelligence
agencies
–
the
meticulous
planning,
plotting,
and
execution
of
operations.

How
did
you
approach
the
balance
between
honoring
real
events
and
creating
compelling
entertainment
in
“Ranneeti:
Balakot
&
Beyond”?

A
–
Our
approach
involved
meticulous
research
to
ensure
accuracy
in
depicting
the
events.
The
creative
team
and
the
team
of
some
amazing
writers
worked
very
hard
prioritising
authenticity
by
consulting
defence
experts,
studying
firsthand
accounts,
and
conducting
deep
background
research.
This
helped
us
to
stay
true
to
the
essence
of
the
real
events
while
presenting
them
in
a
visually
compelling
thrilling
and
engaging
story.
We
explored
the
human
elements
within
the
story
by
focusing
on
emotions
,which
helped
us
create
a
deeper
emotional
connection
that
the
audience
will
feel
when
they
watch
the
show.

Ranneeti:
Balakot
&
Beyond
has
a
very
interesting
star
cast;
were
Jimmy
Shergill
and
Lara
Dutta
your
first
choice?
How
was
your
experience
working
with
them?

A-
I
consider
myself
fortunate
to
have
such
an
amazing
cast
for
“Ranneeti:
Balakot
&
Beyond.” Jimmy
Shergill,
Lara
Dutta,
Ashutosh
Rana,
Ashish
Vidyarthi,
Prasanna,
Satyajeet
Dubey,
Akansha
Singh,
and
Elnaz
Nourozi
quite
an
ensemble
me
and
my
creative
team
were
able
to
put
together.
They
are
not
only
exceptional
actors
but
also
individuals
with
great
positive
energy
and
vibe.
This
dynamic
was
crucial
for
the
scale
of
the
show
we
aimed
to
achieve.
Jimmy
Shergill
was
always
our
first
choice
for
his
role,
and
his
portrayal
in
the
show
will
demonstrate
why.
When
it
came
to
casting
Lara
Dutta’s
character,
we
came
across
a
few
names,
but
it
was
her
who
stood
out
to
us.
She’s
an
extremely
strong
personality
and
that’s
what
we
were
looking
for.
We
were
relentless
in
our
pursuit
to
have
her
on
board,
and
she
proved
to
be
an
absolute
delight
to
work
with.

Broken
but
Beautiful” resonated
deeply
with
audiences.
What
was
your
secret
ingredient
in
bringing
out
such
raw
emotions
on
screen?

A
–
Broken
resonated
deeply
with
the
audience
for
two
main
reasons.
Firstly,
the
emotions
portrayed
by
the
characters
felt
genuine
and
struck
a
chord
with
viewers.
The
writing,
especially
the
dialogues
crafted
by
Reshu
nath,
served
as
a
pill
for
those
experiencing
pain.
Vikrant
and
Harleen
delivered
exceptional
performances,
beautifully
conveying
these
emotions
and
making
viewers
empathize
with
and
root
for
them.

Secondly,
because
of
the
beautiful
songs
in
the
show
that
was
a
game-changer,
marking
the
first
time
such
songs
were
introduced
in
the
OTT
space.
These
songs
became
hits,
expanding
the
show’s
reach
to
a
larger
audience.

Going
forward,
which
actor
or
actress
would
you
like
to
work
with?

A
–
I’m
a
fairly
new
director.
I
have
just
started.
My
slate
is
clean
and
I’m
eager
to
fill
it
with
compelling
stories
and
unforgettable
characters.
My
goal
is
to
create
narratives
and
characters
that
leave
a
lasting
impact
on
audiences.