EXCLUSIVE: Sooraj Barjatya reveals Amitabh Bachchan’s connection in creating Uunchai; says, “I called up Bachchan sir jab…”

Sooraj Barjatya is one of Bollywood’s most revered filmmakers. He is known for his heartfelt narratives that celebrate family values, love, and tradition. While staying true to his signature storytelling, Barjatya made a different attempt with the film Uunchai. Sharing an anecdote about how Amitabh Bachchan came on board for the project and revealed that Uunchai would not have been made if the megastar had declined the role. Barjatya shared that Bachchan’s presence was crucial to the film’s essence, as the story was crafted with him in mind.

Sooraj Barjatya reveals if Amitabh Bachchan had said ‘NO’ Uunchai, wouldn’t have been made

Sooraj admitted that had the legendary actor refused, he wouldn’t have pursued the project further. Bachchan’s agreement not only gave the film its foundation but also inspired the ensemble cast. In an exclusive interview with Bollywood Bubble, Sooraj Barjatya speaks about the problems that he faced while filming Unchaai. He said, “Mere pass yeh kahani 2016 se thi, mai toh bilkul kabhi soch bhi nahi sakta tha ki mai direct karunga, hamesha socha ki yeh director, woh director. But kahi ban hi nahi rahi thi baat toh phir pandemic ka time tha hum sab baithe hue the, kya banai jaye socha, kuch chal hi nahi raha. Har roz ek challenge tha zindagi ke liye toh, so I thought I must challenge myself as a filmmaker also. Phir yeh jab kahani aayi tab laga yeh banani hai but mujhe laga pandemic ka time hai, average base camp jana hai, 300 ka unit lena hai, doctors ko lena hai, kaise hoga? ” (I had this story since 2016 but never thought I’d direct it. During the pandemic, when nothing was working, I decided to challenge myself as a filmmaker. When this story resurfaced, I knew it had to be made, but filming at Everest base camp with 300 units and doctors seemed impossible.)

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He further continued on how Amitabh agreed and the film was made,“But when I called up Bachchan Sir, jab unhone agree kiya tab project ruka nahi aur phir Anupam Ji, Boman Ji aaye, aur phir banate hue log mujhe puchte the, ‘Kaise chalegi picture, koi toh youngster oriented hona chahiye’, ‘Koi Parineeti ka boyfriend’. Phir maine socha, ‘Sooraj tum kar kya rahe ho?’ Phir maine sab chod diya toh I think kahi jaake you respect the originality and you respect art for art, aaj ka joh daur haina mujhe lagta hai, marketing zyda tar actor karte hai, that is also a very wrong point because marketing ke hisab se kabhi creation nahi hua hai, hamesha creation has led to marketing.” (“When Bachchan Sir agreed, the project took off, followed by Anupam Ji and Boman Ji. People questioned if it needed a younger appeal, but I chose to stay true to the story. I believe originality and art should be respected. Today, marketing often drives films, but creation should always lead the way.”)

All About Uunchai

Uunchai story revolves around three friends on an adventurous journey to the Everest Base Camp. It was to fulfill the last wish of their fourth friend Bhupen.

It is an adventure drama film directed by Sooraj Barjatya. It is produced by Rajshri Productions, Mahaveer Jain Films and Boundless Media. The film stars Amitabh Bachchan, Anupam Kher, Boman Irani, Danny Denzongpa, Parineeti Chopra, Neena Gupta and Sarika.

About Sooraj Barjatya’s OTT show Bada Naam Karenge

Sooraj Barjatya’s Rajshri Productions has produced Bada Naam Karenge, which Palash Vaswani has directed. It stars Ritik Ghanshani and Ayesha Kaduskar in lead roles alongside Kanwaljit Singh, Alka Amin, Jameel Khan, Deepika Amin and others in pivotal roles. The series released on SonyLIV on February 7.

Watch full interview

Also Read: EXCLUSIVE: Sooraj Barjatya credits his costume designer for making Salman Khan’s famous Maine Pyaar Kiya jacket; confesses, “It was inspired by Tom Cruise”