Sharad Raj, assistant to director Ketan Mehta during the making of Maya Memsaab, is set to produce and direct his debut venture.
Raj, who has worked as a creative director in the television industry for a long time, confirms the development. He says, “I don’t want to break ties with television. My passion for films has made me take this logical step. I have been toying with different ideas. But, the brutal killing of 27-year old Manjunath on 19 November, 2005 near Lucknow really shook me.”
Manjunath, a Lucknow graduate from a middle-class family, was at the time of his death, working for a public sector firm – Indian Oil Corporation. He was managing 32 petrol pumps in Lakhinpur Siri in Western Uttar Pradesh, an eight hour drive from Lucknow. He was killed for being sincere towards his job, by the oil mafia of U.P.
Says Raj, “Manjunath’s character is interesting because he was a good singer and actor, he was a lead singer in IIM band, Lucknow and used to imitate the actor Rajnikanth on stage. He was a football player too. But, after being initally diffident towards studies, he became very sincere towards his work.”
Raj says he is in touch with the Manjunath trust, which comprises IIM alumini and Manjunath’s friends and also his family members. “They are still to receive the Rs 2.5 million (Rs 25 lakh) compensation announced by his employers. The Indian Express group of publications are helping me with research work and provide media support,” he says,
“I also belong to Lucknow and did my course in direction from the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune, before assisting Ketan Mehta. This subject has stayed with me for more than 10 months. I am still in the scripting stages and also meeting theatre artistes. I will start the film in April next year,” he adds.
Raj has earlier worked on serials like Kum Kum on Star Plus, Siddhanth on Star One and Rihaaee on Sony.
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