Scoop is a unanimous success. Did you expect this kind of appreciation again this time after the scam?
The Scam was released during the 1992 pandemic at a time when we had less content to consume. Its phenomenal success has given many of us a new lease of life and a lot to be thankful for. But living off those accolades and expecting a repetition of the same is delusional, something which I believe I am not! Also we are now in a post pandemic world. There’s so much content and some wonderful, wonderful work happening around me. It is great to see this success in this environment.
When did you actually start working on Scoop?
We started working on the scoop even before the shooting of Scam was over. Just as I don’t get distracted by failure at all, I try to be less affected by success. I wake up in the morning, go to work and just want to work. I took a short break around the release of Scoop to keep myself away from expectations and of course the pre-release anxiety. But I feel relieved to see its success and the amount of appreciation it has received and certainly very much vindicated.
Why are you feeling right?
Proven for the choices I’ve made and the path I’ve chosen.
What drew you to the chilling tale of Jigna Vora? At what point did you decide to do a series on her trauma?
The makers of the show Match Shots shared Jigna’s book with me in 2020. I saw the potential of telling a story beyond the book. To tell a story of aspiration, to tell the story of a working woman in a male-dominated world—that’s still the case in most workplaces—to tell a story about our times, to tell a story about courage A story about family and how to connect with the audience on a story that is both a cautionary tale and an important chronicle of our times. In doing so I found writer Mrinmoyee Lagoo and a wonderful co-producer in her team, which includes Mirat Trivedi, Karan Vyas and Anu Singh Choudhary.
Did you follow Jigna’s case when it actually happened?
I followed Jigna’s case in 2011, but like all headlines, her story was replaced by another headline. While her story was confined to the inside pages, she and her family faced the trauma of being labeled without judicial process. This story of the reporter being reported and the report getting lost in the sands of sensationalism inspired me to tell his story and beyond. This is why we have dramatized and fantasized so many elements of the story.
An overarching question: What draws you to real-life stories again and again? I don’t think any filmmaker has made so many biopics. Do you prefer real stories rather than fictional ones?
Stories find me. I didn’t find them. I just love telling stories. It just so happens that some amazing true-life stories come across me. Somehow I become the chosen one. But to be honest, I only look for stories that don’t let me sleep, stories that I feel compelled to tell.
Coming back to the scoop, please tell us about the casting process. How did you choose your cast, and which actors surprised you the most?
Mukesh Chhabra has been a constant collaborator and because of him, I am often appreciated for casting my work Shahid, We have a simple, intuitive process that puts the character before the actor. We have been fortunate that producers, studios and platforms have often supported our instincts. Scoop was no exception. Karishma Tanna, Harman Baweja, Mohd Ayub Zeeshan, Gemini, Deven Bhojani, Sanat Vyas and the entire ensemble cast of Scoop are the choices we made and we are glad we made those choices. Netflix supported these choices and that’s why I find Scoop’s success to be such a success.
Scoop looks at the inner workings of media houses accurately and without any bias. How did you reach this level of scrutiny in your depiction of the fourth pillar?
A lot of painstaking research was done by Mrinmoyee and her team. Deepu Sebastian was leading the research effort while Ankur Pathak was in the writers’ room helping us get the newsroom on set as accurate as possible. A lot of research about the work of crime reporters on the field, the work of prisons, was done with the help of some really amazing people. work done by Pratham Mehta My Wizkid director of photography, Tanvi Patil, my production designer, Shivank Kapoor, my costume designers, my collaborators Rishabh and Gyas have lent an air of authenticity to the show. An important aspect of my work has been directing background artists who instinctively contribute to the world I’m trying to create. Gyas has been my first AD specialist for the past five years. His work gives realistic energy to my frame.
How closely was Jigna Vora involved with the project? Have you put her point of view at the forefront of telling your story at all times?
We had the rights to Jigna’s book. He was interviewed during the research process. But I consciously didn’t meet him until the very end of our program. I didn’t want my interpretation or the interpretation of my team members to be influenced by too much talking. We had to imagine, build and dramatize a whole new world. Direct copying would mean mimicry.
After the stupendous success of Scam and Scoop, what can we expect from you next?
I have just come back from my vacation. Now completing post-production of my feature film Kareena Kapoor And on the shooting of Gandhi. In the meantime, I will look forward to the release of Scam 2003 directed by SonyLIV frost Hiranandani and Lootere Mere Bete Jai make an ambitious debut on Hotstar. These are exciting times. And I’m happy to be a part of them!