Himesh Reshammiya & Bhushan Kumar always had my back – Shawn

The second installment in the Surroor franchise, Teraa Surroor is all set to hit theatres. Staying true to its predecessor, Aapka Surroor, this film promises a mix of action, romance and music. The film directed by Shawn Arranha boasts of a diverse ensemble cast comprising Himesh Reshammiya, Farah Karimaee, Monica Dogra, Naseeruddin Shah and Shekhar Kapur, among others in pivotal roles.

We caught up with Shawn to know more about the film and what the audience can expect from this musical – action love story.

Shawn Arranha

Tell us about your journey within the Bollywood industry.

I have been in this Industry for a long time, working with the best directors and producers like Farhan Akthar and Apoorva Lakhia. I want to master all genres as a director, to become as versatile as possible. It is very important to know the economics of making a film in today’s time to make sure you make a successful film.

Were the producers of the film – HR Musik and T – Series – creatively involved in the making? 

Teraa Surroor has been a roller coaster ride. I had so much fun shooting this film and putting it together. I am very lucky to have producers like Himesh Reshammiya and Bhushan Kumar who always had my back and let me make a superb film. They are fantastic producers who understood the story and gave we whatever I needed to make the film look great. They never interfered or gave me any creative inputs while making the film.

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The film boasts of quite an unlikely ensemble cast including Himesh Reshammiya, Naseeruddin Shah, Kabir Bedi, Shekhar Kapur and even Monica Dogra. How did you manage to bring everybody on board?

I am honored to have worked with the finest actors in our industry like Shekhar Kapur, Naseeruddin Shah and Kabir Bedi. It’s a never seen before cast in Bollywood. Shekar Kapur and Naseeruddin Shah are coming together for the first time since Masoom. Himesh and I were very clear from the beginning that the cast of this film is going to be very unique and different. That’s why its so fresh.

How did you prepare the cast for their respective roles?

We held intense workshops for all the cast members. Himesh is the surprise package as he went through a vigorous change to get into the skin of his character, Raghu. We met a couple of times to shape the script and look of the film.

READ: THE NEW GENERATION HAS NO IDEA ABOUT MY INTERNATIONAL WORK – KABIR BEDI

(L-R) Shawn Arranha (Director), Himesh Reshammiya, Rakesh Upadhyay (Creative Producer) & Darshan Raval (Singer)

Himesh Reshammiya singularly dons many feathers in his hat. How was your experience working with him?

Himesh Reshammiya is an amazing person and it was a delight to work with him. He understands the business of Bollywood so well and I’ve learnt so much by just listening to his conversations. He is a fantastic music composer too. His music is so melodious that I fell in love with all the songs that he created for the film.

The trailer features some breathtaking exotic locations. Where all has the film been shot?

We have shot extensively in Ireland. The country side of Ireland is mesmerisingly beautiful and picturesque. The people there are extremely warm and they kept the unit happy. It was really easy to shoot there. The technicians were also brilliant.

What is your favourite song from Teraa Surroor?

When you make a musical-action love story, the music has to be very strong. I cannot say if there is any one song, because I like all of them. Himesh’s songs are all melodious. I love them all and shooting them was amazing too. The whole album has been accepted so well and loved by all!

READ: SALMAN SIR HAS A TERRIFIC MUSIC SENSE – AMMAL MALLIK

What are your expectations from the film?

It feels great to be a part of the Surroor franchise. Teraa Surroor is my version of storytelling with Himesh Reshammiya’s new look and style. It’s a great combination and the response has been fantastic.

Please tell us about your future projects.

As of now, I am in talks with few producers and will be locking a film soon. I am concentrating on good stories in the right budget, which is very important. I will make an announcement once things get formally signed.

– Shikhar Goyal