Real hero of Hijack is the script

Debutante filmmaker Kunal Shivdasani whose first movie Hijack is set to release next month is buoyed by the recent success of Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na .

"The story is basic and simple. But the treatment of screenplay makes all the difference. The need is to be true to the script," Shivdasani said and maintained that his debut film too fulfils this criteria.

'Hijack' starring Shiney Ahuja and Esha Deol is scheduled to release on August 29. Shivdasani said the real hero of his film is the script.

To a question on why he chose Shiney and Esha, who are not such big names at the box office, for his debut film, the filmmaker said audiences are receptive to new faces and fresh ideas.

"Shiney plays a character which audiences will relate to immediately. There is a hero within every ordinary human and how far one would go if faced with an extraordinary situation. The story brings out this element in the film," he added.

Shivdasani said 'Hijack' is not a true story but a fiction drama. "Having new faces comes with an advantage because there is no baggage of expectations," he said.

According to him, the advantage of having new faces in the film is that the audience does not know what to expect from them.

Claiming that Esha has been portrayed in a different manner in his film, the director said, "She is the surprise element in the movie."

To a question on why he chose to produce his debut film, Kunal said as a director, he wanted to control all departments of filmmaking.

"Production is a huge responsibility. I am open to directing films for outside producers as well. I want to explore the different sides of me as a director," Kunal said.

An ad filmmaker for nearly a decade, Kunal, 35, said being an ad man, he is able to develop a good aesthetic sense and production design for his film.

"In fact, switching from ad films to feature films is part of my growth process," he added.

Kunal feels thrillers are his forte and wants to develop his own style in direction.

He said he shot the climax at Ras-al-Khaimah about 150 km away from Dubai. "We hired a tri-star plane and three helicopters and a runway. Each shot took us two hours. A fuel tanker was on standby," he said.

Refusing to divulge the budget of his movie he, however, said, 'Hijack' is a big budget film.
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