Vikrant Massey to play blind musician in Ruskin Bond adaptation
Fresh off his 2023 hit 12th Fail, Vikrant Massey is now set to take on the role of a blind musician in his upcoming project, reported Peeping Moon. The film, titled Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan, borrows its title from a popular song from Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 1999 musical romance Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. This project will mark the directorial debut of Niranjan Iyengar, a seasoned dialogue writer for several hit Bollywood films.
Film adaptation of Ruskin Bond's acclaimed short story
The report suggested that Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan is an adaptation of the celebrated short story The Eyes Have It by Ruskin Bond. The story was first published in the anthology Contemporary Indian English Stories in the 1950s. Iyengar has also written its screenplay. The narrative reportedly explores the journey of love and self-discovery between a blind musician and a theater actor.
Know more about the production team
Iyengar has earlier written dialogues for popular movies such as My Name Is Khan, Ra. One, and Student of the Year, among others. AKG now marks a significant transition in his career after enjoying a successful two-decade-long journey as a writer. Mansi Bagla and Varun Bagla of Mini Films banner are producing the movie in collaboration with Bhushan Kumar's T-Series. With Massey joining the project, the venture adds another layer of excitement.
Filming to begin in August 2024
The filming of this movie is scheduled to begin in August. The shooting locations include Uttarakhand and Georgia. Per Peeping Moon, the film "tackles topics of compassion, willpower, independence, desire, perception, memory, and confidence." Before this, Massey will wrap up his role as a cybercrime expert in Rajkumar Hirani's debut web series. Hirani acts as the showrunner. The web series is currently under production and is set to premiere on Disney+ Hotstar early next year.
Massey's upcoming projects in the pipeline
Massey has a busy schedule ahead with five films set for release. These include Phir Aayi Haseen Dillruba with Taapsee Pannu—a sequel to Netflix's 2021 thriller mystery Haseen Dillruba. Next in line is Aditya Nimbalkar's Sector 36; Blackout; an untitled love story with Raashii Khanna, and the investigative thriller, The Sabarmati Report. The lattermost film, based on the 2002 Godhra train burning incident, is slated for a theatrical release on May 3.