Fifteen years after its release, the indie film 'Shor in the City' is being revisited by its directors, Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK, who recently opened up about the film's journey in a conversation with SCREEN. The film, set in Mumbai, follows several interconnected characters, blending the city's chaotic energy with quiet personal struggles. Despite its acclaim, it often misses out on discussions about Mumbai-set films, which feels surprising given its energetic indie spirit that predated the directors' signature mix of humor and emotion.
Casting Challenges and Changes
DK recalled the initial casting process, which involved pitching the story to international actors like Ethan Hawke and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. The original concept revolved around an American coming to India to set up a business. However, the mismatch between the actors' expectations and the filmmakers' indie setup in India led to a shift. 'We didn't have any studio backing, and here we were, saying we're indie filmmakers who used to live in the U.S., now making this film in India. There was a clear mismatch,' DK explained.
Raj added that after this, the team reworked a key character, making him Indian instead of an outsider. This change felt more organic and led to casting Sendhil Ramamurthy, who immediately connected with the role. Local casting followed, with Atul Mongia bringing in unconventional talent like Radhika Apte, who was relatively unknown at the time. Amit Mistry, who had worked with Raj and DK on '99', was an automatic choice. 'For any film we made, he was the first person we'd call. We still miss him a lot,' Raj said.
Original Ending and Festival Feedback
Raj revealed that the original ending of 'Shor in the City' was quite different. When the film was first sent to festivals, it ended abruptly after the Ganesh Visarjan sequence with a super that read 'come again next year.' This version brought the film its first awards and appreciation on the festival circuit. However, feedback suggested that an ending was needed. 'People kept saying, 'You need an ending, you can't just leave it like this.' We resisted for a while, but eventually decided to shoot something additional,' Raj said.
The original ending was more ambiguous, leaving it open to interpretation whether Tusshar Kapoor's character might be dead and experiencing a post-death state. The directors reworked this slightly and added the end-credits sequence to provide a more defined sense of closure.
The Ensemble Cast
'Shor in the City' features a talented ensemble cast including Tusshar Kapoor, Sendhil Ramamurthy, Preeti Desai, Girija Oak, Radhika Apte, Nikhil Dwivedi, Pitobash Tripathy, Sundeep Kishan, Zakir Hussain, and Amit Mistry. The film remains a notable entry in the indie film landscape, showcasing the early promise of its directors.
