The shooting of Platoon One Films’ drama feature ‘Aye Zindagi’ (Life Finds A Way) is commencing this Sunday, September 12 in Mumbai.
‘Aye Zindagi’ stars veteran actor Revathi, which will mark her return to Hindi cinema in a lead role. Set in the backdrop of an organ transplant, the film will have Revathi as the female protagonist along Satyajeet Dubey, who recently worked in ‘Mumbai Diaries 26/11’ (2021), an Amazon Prime Video series. ‘Aye Zindagi’ also stars Indu Thampy, who has previously worked in Malayalam films like ‘Father’s Day’ (2012) and ‘Eighteen Hours’ (2021), this is her Hindi debut film. Hemant Kher, who has worked in ‘Scam 1992’ (2020), Shrikant Verma, who has worked in ‘Dum Laga Ke Haisha’ (2015) and ‘Tandav’ (2021), Sawan Tank, who has worked in ‘Ram Prasad ki Tehrvi’ (2019) and Mahesh Sharma, who worked in ‘Ankhon Dekhi’ (2013) and ‘Dum Laga Ke Haisha’ (2015).
Written and directed by Anirban, the film is a feel-good human drama unlike any other. He says, “As a doctor, people share with me their most intimate secrets, hopes and desires which gives me a unique window into human existence. I have personally lived with this story for many years, and I am excited to bring it to screen with such a talented cast and crew. With this true story of loss, love, grief, and redemption, I hope the audiences will be able to appreciate the beauty of the human spirit and the life-changing power of ethical organ transplants, where death is not just the end of something, it is also the beginning of a new life.”
Revathi shares, “When the director Anirban narrated the story to me, I was moved by his passion and vision for it. Even though it’s a very heartening story and a feel good one too, I know it is going to be a challenging one as a hospital is not an easy location to shoot an entire film.”
Satyajeet Dubey, whose recently released web show ‘Mumbai Diaries 26/11’ is receiving rave reviews from audiences and critics alike, agrees and calls ‘Aye Zindagi’ the most “emotionally and physically challenging” role of his career. To prepare to play the part of a young man with liver cirrhosis, Satyajeet has already lost 8 kilos for the role. He further adds, “I was drawn to this story as it is beautifully written and based on a true story that makes reality sound stranger than fiction. It moved me not just as an actor but as a human, and made me want to disappear into this role.”
‘Aye Zindagi’ is being produced by Shiladitya Bora’s Platoon One Films, under which banner he has produced ‘Yours Truly’ (2018) and National award-winning Marathi film ‘Picasso’ (2019). He says, “When we first heard the incredible true story of the real people on which the film is based, we knew it deserved to be told on screen not only for its rich and engaging narrative but also for the sheer beauty of human relationships that are built around ethical organ donations. Cinema is a powerful medium to reach a large audience, and we believe this story will resonate with the audience as well as bring a fresh perspective on a complex and often misunderstood subject.”
Shiladiyta Bora has also been associated with some of the best Indian independent cinema of the past decade with films such as ‘Court’ (2014), ‘Masaan’ (2015), ‘Newton’ (2017), ‘SIR’ (2018) and among others. Bora is now working on the post-production of his directorial feature debut ‘Bhagwan Bharose’.
