Writer Naresh Dudani: Mumbai is my janmabhoomi and UP my karmaboomi

Writer Naresh Dudani not plans to shoot his debut film as director in Lucknow

Film writer Naresh Dudani’s debut film has been entirely shot in Lucknow and Varanasi. A software engineer, his next project as a writer is also taking shape in the state capital and he is looking forward to wearing the director’s hat with a film to be shot in the city and western UP.

“There is something about U.P. that attracts me. Last year, we shot Majnu Saloon with Chandan Roy, Omkar Nath and Anita Sehgal in the state. I wrote the screen and dialogue of the film which was directed by Anil Naryani. It’s about a barber who falls in love with a customer. Naryani was again in city for a film which I have written, and I am geared up to shooting my debut film as director here. So, Mumbai is my janambhoomi and UP in karmaboomi,” says Dudhani.

Earlier, he was associate producer in Kahani Rubberband Ki (2021) and associate producer in Mumbaikar (2022). “I have also written-directed the film Aaj Ki Ayodhya in 2019 with Sanjay Mishra and Manveer Gujjar in Varanasi, but unfortunately, it got shelved after shooting the first schedule.”

On his directorial he says, “It’s based on a weird pratha (tradition) of which I have taken a comic take. Besides Lucknow, we will also shoot in Western UP as it’s set in two regions. I am also working on a Punjabi film which I will direct, and talks are on with actor Amy Virk for that.”

Given his background, he says, “I have been fortunate to have a connection in the industry as my uncle Satram Rohra produced Jai Santoshi Maa (1975) and a couple of other films. I used to often visit the sets and have seen the transition of cameras from traditional to digital ones. Luckily, I got connected to filmmaker Shyam Benegal sir and worked with him on some projects. I have also done line-production. The best thing that happened to me is that I connected with Baahubali (2017) writer KV Vijayendra Prasad and assisted him in many projects.”

The 47-year-old adds, “In Bollywood, incubation time is somewhere between 5-10 years. Those who survive the second phase can sustain. Thankfully, my wife was working which helped me step closer to my dream. Otherwise it’s really tough.”

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