Filmmaker S Shankar revealed how he shot for Kamal Haasan’s ‘Indian 2’ and ‘Indian 3’ simultaneously.
Actor Kamal Haasan and filmmaker S Shankar have finally confirmed that the much-awaited ‘Indian 2’ (Hindustani 2) will be released in two parts – ‘Indian 2’ and ‘Indian 3’. The third part will be released in cinemas in 2025, a few months after the second part comes out in theatres on July 12.
Revealing how both the films were shot simultaneously, Kamal, at the trailer launch event of the film in Mumbai, said, “That’s the choice of the director. I’ll talk for myself. When I made Vishwaroop, we read the script, it was 350 pages long. I was told to edit it and that it’d turn into a fantastic film. On day one in Vishwaroop, I was shooting for Vishwaroop part 2. I had made the decision, and told my crew that this film is going to be in two parts. I told them that we had embarked on a journey to make two films and that they’ll be paid as such. I was shooting sporadically, back and forth between two films. And that’s the kind of decision that Shankar made.”
Kamal further shared how Shankar managed to get Lyca Productions to support both his films, and said, “I’m very sure we would have given him hell and said, no, let’s make one film that was there in his mind. And above all, like I was ready to do that. There are many competent directors who are waiting for the right producer to make one film. He got the opportunity to make two. Why not use it? That’s what he must have thought. That’s what I think.”
While he had only one film, ‘Indian 2’, in mind, the third part came about while the second one was being shot. Shankar said, “I would like to explain. Because the part one only revolves around one state. That part one itself is 3 hours 20 minutes film. Now the story spreads all over the country, to all the states. So naturally the story has become big. Actually, our initial idea was to do only one part.”
Last but not the least, the filmmaker said that he realised that he was able to see there are two parts in the story. “And each part has its own strength and whole form and engaging scenes and a start, a body and a climax. So it evolved automatically in two parts,” Shankar signed off.
The trailer of ‘Indian 2’ was recently released. Also starring Rakul Preet Singh, it features Kamal Haasan reprising his role as Senapathy, an ageing freedom fighter turned vigilante who fights against corruption.