Exclusive: Not Sushant, Shekhar Kapur to make Paani with Hollywood actors

Shekhar Kapur’s dream project Paani, which was shelved by Yash Raj films, has now moved West. The director, who has helmed some extraordinary films in the West including the BAFTA Award winning Elizabeth, is all set to do Paani with two top-notch Hollywood actors in the lead.

Shekhar says, “It is true that I am no longer doing the film with Aditya Chopra. But that doesn’t mean I won’t be doing this film. I’ve lived with the project for many years now. When I first spoke about the impending water scarcity 12 years ago, everybody laughed at me. Today, famine is a looming reality,” says Shekhar pensively, adding “I do hope I am able to make Paani before water becomes a rationed commodity. If I make it then, no one would be able to afford cinema tickets.”

So what happened to the collaboration with Aditya and Yash Raj Films? Shekhar, never known to mince words, is understandably circumventing this one question that is on everybody’s mind.

He finally says, “You have to understand Adi is not only a producer. He is also a very accomplished filmmaker with extremely independent ideas on cinema. We are both fiercely individualistic filmmakers. We just couldn’t agree on the way Paani should be made.”

What Shekhar leaves unsaid is that the budget with which the filmmaker was required to make Paani, did not suit Yashraj and Aditya.

Sushant Singh Rajput also lost close to two years of his career preparing for Paani. He says regretfully, “We spent close to two years planning the project together. But it wasn’t meant to be. Not with Adi. I’ll now make Paani elsewhere.”