The industry is still hung up on faces: 'Shaitan' director Bejoy Nambiar

Riding high on the success of his debut film, Shaitan, director Bejoy Nambiar is soon to begin filming for his second, David. And yes, he has gone ahead to sign some very talented names — actors Vikram and Tabu being two of them.

Ask him how he managed to sign Tabu and Vikram and Bejoy says, “I always had a wish list in place and they are both actors I look up to. Getting them to agree to be part of the film has been quite a long drawn affair, but at the same time, it has been a big high for me.” And that’s not it; the director has also roped in the very reclusive Isha Sharvani, who has made few appearances in Hindi films. “In fact, Isha is one who’s been paired opposite Vikram,” informs the director.

David is a script that Bejoy has literally nurtured for almost five years. “I have been living with it for that long and it’s very close to me. I actually wrote it way before Shaitan was even conceptualised. I just hope the film gets made finally,” he states.

And Bejoy’s scepticism has its reasons. “The going has been far from easy even though Shaitan did pretty well. My films aren’t the regular mainstream ones. It’s sad but true that the industry is hung up on certain faces despite a fleet of not-so-regular films faring well,” he says, adding, “The faces and names in a film still determine the budget and in such a situation, filmmaking will always be a struggle for someone like me.”

Quiz Bejoy on the plot and he is hesitant to divulge details but it is being rumoured that David is a dark film, set in a first-of-its-kind backdrop. “I have had to work so hard to get this one moving. There have been times when it almost seemed impossible but what kept the team going was the fact that Shaitan too got made,” he signs off.