Vishal: Tough to raise funds even with stars like Tabu

Vishal Bhardwaj

's latest film ‘

Khufiya

’ is now streaming online. While the spy thriller has received critical acclaim from viewers and critics alike the journey behind it is equally fascinating. In a recent conversation, Vishal delved deep into the filmmaking process and shared insights that are both intriguing and revealing.
The genesis of ‘Khufiya’ dates back to 2016, when Vishal initially thought of the late and esteemed actor

Irrfan Khan

in the lead role.

His bond with Irrfan was evident, as they had previously worked together on the 2004 film ‘Maqbool’. However, destiny had other plans, and with the tragic passing of Irrfan, Vishal reimagined the project. Transforming the male protagonist into a female lead, he decided to rope in the powerhouse performer,

Tabu

, for the role. The duo has had prior successful collaborations with movies like ‘Haider’ (2014) and ‘Maqbool’.
However, despite Tabu coming onboard the film faced its own set of challenges. Even with Tabu’s immense talent and prowess, raising the desired funds for a film with a female lead proved to be difficult. Vishal pointed out the stark realities of the film market, emphasizing that obtaining budgets akin to those of blockbuster directors like Rohit Shetty is a formidable task unless one delivers hits of that magnitude. In a reflective tone, he noted that every artist, regardless of their stature, faces constraints and limitations in their craft.
The story behind ‘Khufiya’ is based on Amar Bhushan's novel ‘Escape to Nowhere’. While the idea germinated in 2016, the first draft only saw the light of day in 2018.

Vishal also discussed why he took so long to come up with a project. Post the release of his 2018 film ‘Pataakha’ starring

Radhika Madan

and

Sanya Malhotra

, he was deeply engrossed in adapting Salman Rushdie's ‘Midnight's Children’. Sadly, this project was halted abruptly. Subsequently, his attempt to create a series on the IC 814 hijacking was also shelved in light of the controversies surrounding the show ‘Tandav’.

Despite the hurdles, ‘Khufiya’, with a stellar cast including Tabu,

Ali Fazal

, Ashish Vidyarthi, and

Wamiqa Gabbi

, was finally unveiled to the public on October 5 proving Vishal's unwavering dedication and passion for his crafts.