'As a storyteller, one always looks to create something for the audience which is thrilling, engaging and entertaining and that is exactly what we have endeavoured with Sikandar Ka Muqaddar.'
Netflix launched the trailer of its new heist thriller Sikandar Ka Muqaddar in Mumbai, and its cast -- Jimmy Sheirgill, Avinash Tiwary and Tamannaah Bhatia -- attended along with Director Neeraj Pandey. Pandey already has a reputation for making tense, character-driven thrillers like Special 26, Baby and Special Ops.
Set in 2008 against the backdrop of high-stakes crime and ambition, this thriller follows a police officer's quest to solve a diamond heist at an exhibition.
If the trailer of the film is anything to go by, Sikandar Ka Muqaddar promises to be a rollercoaster ride of suspense and drama.
Video: Jimmy and Avinash give a live performance of what you can expect from Sikandar Ka Muqaddar.
The trailer reveals Jimmy's character as a seasoned police officer who relies on his moolvriti (instincts) to identify the real culprit while Avinash plays a sharp, calculating man with a dark past.
Tamannaah's role, shrouded in mystery, hints at a powerful character caught in the web of deceit.
At the trailer launch, all eyes were on the trio as they spoke about their experiences working on the film and its director. Rediff.com Contributor Mohnish Singh took notes.
Jimmy, known for his versatile performances in several successful films, expressed his excitement about portraying a character that straddles the blurring lines between guilt and innocence.
The actor, who most recently worked with Pandey in Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha, co-starring Tabu and Ajay Devgn, called Pandey "a brilliant director".
"I was excited when we did Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha. Suddenly, this thing came up and I read the script and loved it," Jimmy said.
"We had a lot of discussions and then finally the dialogue draft came. We all worked hard and enjoyed it," he added.
WATCH: Jimmy reveals the one thing that Neeraj Panday does while shooting that he feels no other director does.
Avinash Tiwary, who has garnered critical acclaim for his performances in Khakee: The Bihar Chapter and Bambai Meri Jaan, described his role as '"a thrilling and nuanced journey".
"It's a high-octane, emotionally charged film, and I am honoured to be a part of such a high-profile project," he added/
Sikandar Ka Muqaddar reunites Tiwary and Pandey after Netflix's 2022 show Khakee: The Bihar Chapter on which the film-maker served as creator.
Tiwary said this was the first time he worked on a project directed by Pandey.
"The limited experience that I have being an actor, I have never met a director who is so quick to make decisions. He is just on the go. So when you are on set, you are continuously working. It's a very focused set," he says.
WATCH: Avinash explains just how fast Neeraj Pandey is
"I have always played different kinds of characters. But I mostly did them in South Indian films. I didn't get to do it in Hindi films," Tamannaah says.
"But when Neeraj sir called me to offer the film, I was wondering, 'Normally toh mujh pe dil churane ka aarop hota hai, iss baar mujhpe heere churane ka aarop laga hai. Meri moolvriti keh rahi hai ki yeh waali picture toh karni chahiye."
'Moolvriti', a part of the film's dialogue, became a catchphrase on stage as everyone repeated it several times.
Tamannaah adds: Avinash is a very hard working actor. While working with him, I realised that he is also a very effortless actor. There are times when I don't even realise that he is saying his dialogues. He internalises and performs beautifully."
"Jimmy is magnetic. I love watching how he can just intimidate without really doing much."
WATCH: Tamannaah says why she went deglam for this film.
Video: Aapka khubsoorati ka raaz kya hai, Tamannaah asks Avinash, tongue firmly in cheek
"As a storyteller, one always looks to create something for the audience which is thrilling, engaging and entertaining and that is exactly what we have endeavoured with Sikandar Ka Muqaddar," says Neeraj Pandey.
"It has been quite a journey directing this film with a cast that does justice to the characters they are portraying."
Pandey, while explaining the title of his heist-thriller, said film-maker Prakash Jha's superhit film Muqaddar Ka Sikandar, starring Amitabh Bachchan, Raakhee, Vinod Khanna and Rekha, is one of his childhood favourites.
"That was the reason why we had this title because it's a play on a film that I grew up on. Our entire generation loved that film. In a way, it's a tribute to that particular film, but nothing to do in terms of genre," he says.
Sikandar Ka Muqaddar is set to stream on November 29 on Netflix.
