Think about your favourite black comedies from Hindi cinema, and chances are Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro (1983) tops the list. Kundan Shah’s satire, starring Naseeruddin Shah and Ravi Baswani, saw the finest minds of Hindi cinema come together to offer a scathing commentary on corruption and bureaucracy. Almost 40 years on, Sudhir Mishra — who served as one of the screenplay writers — is writing another satire along the lines of the 1983 gem.
Mishra admits that developing a comedy is a “scary” proposition. “I have worked with some of the best minds in comedy — Kundan and Saeed Mirza. Now, after years, I am writing [and directing] a satirical comedy. When I am writing this, I keep Kundan in my mind,” says the director. His film revolves around a Mumbai boy leading a meaningless life until an event transforms him. “It will deal with relationships, social media, the media, and contemporary social and political issues. It’s essentially about our lives today. We no longer know what the real world is. Today, facts have become irrelevant; one can concoct a tale, and people will believe it as the truth. In the world we live in, sensation is more important than sense.”
The yet-untitled movie will go on floors only after he completes Afwaah, starring Bhumi Pednekar and Nawazuddin Siddiqui. “Once I finish writing the movie, the casting and production will be underway.” Given the cult status that Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro acquired over the decades, did the team ever consider making a sequel? “Kundan had an idea, but couldn’t make it. We were kids when we started it. We were so relieved when it worked that we never ventured into the sequel zone,” he laughs.
