Vipul Shah amid 'Bastar: The Naxal Story's OTT debut on ZEE5: "If people get it, it would be perfect ending.."

The film 'Bastar: The Naxal Story' which was released a few weeks ago and starring Adah Sharma in a pivotal role, initiated conversations as the film deals with socially relevant subjects. Directed by Sudipto Sen and produced by Vipul Amritlala Shah, the film is all set to make its OTT debut on ZEE5. So, as we gear up to witness this film on the streaming platform, India Forums engaged in a conversation with the producer, Vipul Shah, discussing his idea for the film and how it can make an impact on the audiences. 

Q- In what ways did you incorporate elements of realism and fiction to create a compelling and engaging story?

To this he answered, "The elements of realism, as you can see, are where we shot those jungle scenes, which are extremely difficult to shoot, yet we went and shot in the jungle with the entire crew. The training process, the costumes, the look, and the makeup, everything was given enough attention, and enough effort was put in by everybody to make sure that the film looked absolutely real and believable."

Q- How do you think Bastar: The Naxal Story contributes to the diversity of storytelling in Indian cinema?

He expressed, "Indian cinema has become very, very diverse, and we are seeing many films dealing with absolutely unbelievable stories. Bastar is also one more film in that space. It's a kind of story that has never been told in India. Generally, we've seen people make films where they have shown Naxalites as the heroes. This is the first film that shows the other side of the Naxal world and the left Liberals and exposes them. So it's a very, very different kind of film, and it continues the new journey of Indian cinema, where new stories are being told for the engagement of audiences."

Q- What message do you hope viewers take away from Bastar: The Naxal Story when they watch it on ZEE5?

Vipul gushed, "I'm just hoping that the message goes through, and that people are able to see the truth about this problem. And we as a country are able to change, to expose these people who are trying to break or damage our country, and we are able to make our country a better and a stronger country - that's the message; if people get it, I think it would be the perfect ending for the film."

Bastar: The Naxal Story will stream on ZEE5 from 17th May 2024 onwards.