Pink making video: Why the film has Shoojit Sircar written all over it

Amitabh Bachchan tweeted the link of the making of Pink, nearly six months since its release in September last year. The film was hugely successful, both commercially and critically. The makers had published the video on International Women's Day (8 March) in keeping with the theme of the film which was directed by Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury. So far, the video has got 220 views.

While Chowdhury appears for a few minutes of the making, the presence of Sircar for the best part of the video cannot be ignored. It raises a pertinent question — did Sircar ghost direct Pink? The 23-minute video makes it obvious that the final product has Shoojit Sircar written all over it and his contribution to every department — from writing to editing and production has been immense.

Sircar even explains his omnipresence in the video. 

"There are 11 players in a football team. So, like football, all members of the team perform collectively. I’m more like a head coach in this film. I’ve helped the creative department," the creative producer said.

Taapsee Pannu, who played Meenal Arora, also mentions how Sircar’s inputs have been invaluable to the team.

Seconding Pannu’s claim is costume stylist Veera Kapuree who says, "He (Sircar) makes my job difficult but in a good way. He makes me think. He keeps me on my toes. He’d suddenly come up with a great idea and we try and incorporate it as much as we can." 

On the sidelines of the International Film Festival of India in Goa last year, Chowdhury had told Cinestaan.com in an interview about how his original script underwent many changes as suggested by Sircar.

"Lot of changes were suggested by Shoojit [Sircar, creative producer]. I had a script of 80 pages which I wanted to do in Bangla. This is a universal story, but it was (originally) placed in Shanti Niketan, Kolkata. Shoojit said let's place it in Delhi. He took my concept and story, and we started jamming. Me and Ritesh (Shah, co-writer) were jamming for four years. Then Shoojit came in and we jammed again. If your producer is also a director and is also sensible, it will take the film to a different level," Chowdhury said then.

Sircar has been one of the writers on the film. Co-writer Shah disclosed how it took one-and-a-half years from the day the idea was conceived to going on floors.

While most of the content in the making is generic, what stands out in the video is how Sircar shot in Delhi’s Gulmohar Park colony where Bachchan once lived with his parents. Sircar, who had graduated from Delhi’s Shaheed Bhagat Singh College, knows the city inside out and he deliberately chose to shoot at Gulmohar Park colony.  

He says, "Mr Bachchan’s old house used to be in Gulmohar Park colony. The residents knew his father. Incredibly, this is the first time that he has shot in this locality."

Bachchan's pollution mask helped him hide his identity. Sircar and company wanted to shoot in a real location and they were even prepared for a guerrilla-style shoot. Bachchan though doesn't speak much about Gulmohar Park colony, but is thankful that the residents made it a pleasant experience.

"Often, while shooting at real locations things can go out of hand, but they (locals) were very respectful (of them shooting)," said Bachchan.

Another intriguing aspect from the making video was how Bachchan was perhaps not Sircar’s first choice for the role of advocate Deepak Sehgal.

“There were other actors who came to my mind, but then I thought why not have Amitabh Bachchan. He’d never played a full-fledged lawyer, that too with such mannerisms, nor one having such a discussion in court,” said Sircar.

Watch the making of Pink below