Resul is now being trolled. Especially with the raging online discussions after the unfortunate death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, people have trained their guns at Resul for ‘encouraging nepotism’ because he is considering Alia Bhatt for Piharwa. Resul Pookutty is the Indian film sound designer, sound editor and audio mixer most well-known since his Oscar win for the 2009-film Slumdog Millionaire. He has decided to make his directorial debut, under the banner of his own production company. While Resul thinks Alia will be a perfect fit for the role, which is that of a fierce Punjabi girl, he hopes to seek a fresh face for the male lead. And despite all the trolling aimed at him, Resul is very clear why Alia is his first choice for the role. He has been getting messages from netizens to take Alia. “Yes, I’ve been getting messages from people saying, ‘Sir, please don’t take her; we will not watch the film. While I feel it’s sad that people get so taken in even without verifying their piece of information, I also condemn nepotism as the lowest and most unimaginative corruption. I don’t think it is good for any industry or for our economy.”
The script is based on Captain ‘Baba’ Harbhajan Singh, an Indian army soldier who served between June 30, 1965 and December 1, 2006. Revered as the “Hero of Nathula” by soldiers of the Indian army, the soldier has a shrine built in his honour and accorded the title of the saintly father viz. ‘Baba’. Resul has tentatively titled the film Piharwa, meaning beloved. The film, which has just finished its third draft, is not a biopic, says Resul, but rather a woman-centric, romantic portrayal of the man’s life as seen by a 22-year-old boy in the current times. Moreover, the whole story is woven around from the perspective of the love interest of the soldier, with scenes shot mainly in two locations — Kapurthala, where the soldier was born, and the second location in Gangtok.
