Renowned Assamese filmmaker Roopak Gogoi is gearing up for the nationwide release of his multi-crore action thriller ‘Rudra’ by the year’s end, promising a captivating blend of adrenaline-pumping action sequences and heartfelt emotional moments. With Assamese superstar Ravi Sarma leading the cast, the film boasts a talented ensemble of around 60 senior and junior actors from both film and theatre backgrounds.
“The movie will be an action thriller but it will also have some emotional quotient, depicting certain situations in the rural society,” said Gogoi, known for his critically acclaimed children’s film ‘Tumi Malala’ (You are my Malala).
Gogoi, who doubles as the scriptwriter for ‘Rudra’, revealed that filming is scheduled to kick off next week across Assam, Meghalaya, and Andhra Pradesh, with a targeted completion date set for July. He insisted that the production team is currently collaborating with a specialised unit to guarantee top-notch action sequences in the film.
“We have brought experts from outside the State and they are training around 30 local youths, which will be useful for Assamese cinema in the future. Usually stuntmen are brought from Hyderabad, Mumbai and Chennai for action in Assamese films, because of which production becomes very expensive,” he said.
The filmmaker stated he is targeting for release of the film by November end.
About the budget, Gogoi said, “Initially we had decided on a budget, but later realised that if we stick to that figure, probably we would not be able to provide the entertainment we have planned for the audience. Hence, we have kept the budget open and will invest as per requirement.”
‘Rudra’ is backed by a consortium of producers including Rajesh Kumar More, OP Garodia, Arvind Garodia, Gautam Beria, Anup Beria, and Manoj Kumar Kedia, with More highlighting the film’s substantial budget.
Commenting on potential challenges, Gogoi asserted, “A film must merit viewers’ attention to succeed, despite efforts by certain factions to undermine it.” When questioned about navigating controversies akin to those faced by an Assamese superstar whose recent big-budget release faltered following his stance on CAA, Gogoi remained resolute in the film’s quality being its ultimate determinant of success.
Additionally, Gogoi expressed disapproval of a militant organisation’s directive to cinema owners, mandating the screening of a specific Assamese film for three weeks under threat of Hindi movie boycott, labelling such mandates as restrictive.
“This should not happen… If there is no audience for that particular Assamese film, what will the hall owner do for three weeks? If in this case, the producer requested the extremist group to issue such a diktat, such things should not be done at all,” he asserted.
Gogoi elaborated on ‘Tumi Malala,’ noting that its narrative orbits the friendship between the daughter of a maid and the daughter of her employer against the backdrop of the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
Highlighting its international recognition, Gogoi mentioned that ‘Tumi Malala’ held the distinction of being the sole Indian film featured at the Beijing International Children’s Film Festival 2022, selected as an ‘official selection’ among 10 foreign entries. He proudly noted that the film clinched the esteemed Golden Flowers Award at the event.
