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'Motorcycle Diaries is going to be a visual spectacle'

Director Rajesh Pillai shot to fame with the truly sensational film, Traffic, released in 2011.

He is currently busy with two projects, Motorcycle Diaries and the Hindi version of Traffic.

Here is an exclusive interview with the director, in which he reveals the status of both films. Excerpts: 

When will your next project Motorcycle Diaries start rolling?

Suresh Nair, Jeyamohan and I are giving the final shape to the script of Motorcycle Diaries. Our cast is Kunchacko Boban, Nivin Pauly, Vishakha Singh, Shine Tom Chacko and Shaan Rahman, among others.

Our plan is to start shooting the film in Kolkata in June. We will start hunting for locations in the next few days.

There is talk about starting a Tamil version of the film but nothing has been finalised.

All I can say now is that Motorcycle Diaries is going to be a visual spectacle.

'I was planning to do the Tamil version of Traffic and then the Hindi version'

There are several stories doing the rounds about the storyline of Motorcycle Diaries. Can you reveal that now?

We have been working on the final draft of Motorcycle Diaries; the film needs tremendous preparation. All I can reveal right now is that it is about a journey from the North of India to the South, following an old bike.

This journey by the character played by Kunchacko Boban helps him discover India and the changes that happened in a span of 30 years.

Nivin Pauly plays a young lad who learns new lessons about marital life. There are some other important characters such as a journalist, a football player, a police officer and so on. Their lives too become part of this journey.

It has been a while since Traffic. Why the delay in making your next film?

Initially I was planning to do the Tamil version of Traffic and then the Hindi version. We did plan a few projects in between but finally we decided to start Motorcycle Diaries.

I think the delay is fine. What matters is to come out with a good film. That is my priority now.

'I am absolutely thrilled about the response to Chennaiyil Oru Naal'

Have you seen Chennaiyil Oru Naal, the Tamil version of Traffic?

I am yet to see the film though I have seen portions of it. I am absolutely thrilled about the response to the film. I knew Shaheed Kader was a brilliant filmmaker, which was the reason I handed over the project to him. I will watch the complete film very soon.

When will the Hindi version of Traffic start?

The producers of the film, Endemol, are busy with other projects right now. We hope to start the shooting very soon.

Which are your forthcoming projects?

Right now I am focusing on Motorcycle Diaries and the Hindi version of Traffic.

Lucifer, with Mohanlal, will start next year.