R Balki’s newest outing Ghoomer might not have fared properly on the field workplace however it garnered huge vital popularity of portraying the feelings and the sport of cricket properly. In this unique interview, we chatted with the movie’s sports activities director Dhruv Panjuani and he shared how enjoyable it was to work with Balki and the lead actor Saiyami Kher, and Abhishek Bachchan. Dhruv has additionally labored within the new Dulquer Salmaan movie, King of Kotha, and Kabir Khan’s 2021 film sports activities drama 83. (Also read: Ghoomer review: Abhishek Bachchan, Saiyami Kher’s stellar acts will move you)

Saiyami in Ghoomer

Recalling the time he labored with Saiyami and Abhishek in Ghoomer, Dhruv stated, “Abhishek is so much fun to be with. That was a really fun project to be a part of and Saiyami was incredible. The first time I saw her (I was impressed). She had been training and devising her own actions. I was just like ‘Wow, this is amazing’ because if the actor is well-versed with the sport and comfortable with it, we get to take things to another level. Kudos to Balki sir for thinking ‘I’m going to do this project with Saiyami because she already plays cricket well’. That helps with the first part of the film a lot. It shows how focused and clear the director is.”

He added that when somebody is acquainted with the sport, in addition to the digital camera, it makes the work simpler for him and his workforce. Dhruv additionally stated that the feelings flowed naturally due to Saiyami’s acquaintance with cricket.

Real crowd for King of Kotha

Dhruv additionally recalled the time he labored on Dulquer’s newest launch, King of Kotha. “It is not a football film, but a gangster film. Nonetheless, it was an absolute craze shooting it. This was one of the rare films which we shot with a real crowd. Usually, VFX and editing are used for the crowds in a stadium.”

While 83 and Ghoomer had been shot in empty grounds and stadiums, (crowd and stadium had been VFX) however King of Kotha had an actual crowd. “It was a night shoot in the middle of nowhere, I had not been to that place and it was a rural and earthy place. With the live crowd, it was a different feel. We managed to take care of the things.”

Talking concerning the actor, Dhruv added, “Oh my God, he’s amazing. He is so down to earth, very easy to interact with. He put in all his efforts but was also very clear that football is not his game. ‘It does not get to me naturally’, he’d say. So we put in the right sport doubles.” He then went on to clarify how sports activities doubles work in an analogous manner as motion doubles do – they enact the actions on behalf of the actors and the star’s face is later used on the enhancing desk to make it appear like he/she did the motion within the specific scene.

Dhruv Panjuani’s journey to grow to be sports activities director

Having studied filmmaking in Boston, Dhruv began out as an assistant director. “I started working as an assistant director. When I took complete charge of one of those, I found out that there’s a vacuum (in content being created around sports). The directors have their vision of the drama and emotions they need, but not so much the game. Soon, I was given charge whenever it was a sports-led project.”

Further, requested to explain how his work suits within the technique of filmmaking, Dhruv stated, “Depending on the project, I can become part of the conceptualisation stage to the shoot and edit as well. It is my job to understand the needs of the project (at first stage), it is my job to gather and line-up experts available for training purposes. Then it is also my job to get the logistics of setting up the game on the field. I am also the bridge between sportsperson training the actors, and the actors. Most of the directors I have worked with have been open to suggestions on how to merge the drama and the game as well.” He added that ultimately, it differs every time as a result of not he doesn’t get onboard all of the initiatives proper from the beginning.

“It is not two separate entities (sports and drama), it is about how beautifully they merge together and you propel the narrative forward. It is just about understanding the director’s vision and then taking it forward in that light. Whether it be fleshing out the games, whether it be just how the intensity would be or what are the moments that we want. For example, I’m working on Madhavan, Nayanthara, and Sidharth’s Tamil film Test right now. Now we jam with the director just to understand how he sees the sports parts playing out and how he sees it merging with the drama. That is at the ideating stage.”

“Next comes storyboarding – to understand how conceptually things would look – the right angles we need and our treatment of it all. For example, Kabir sir (Kabir Khan, 83) was very clear that he wanted the movie and its cricket to look a certain way in the film. We shot it entirely in broadcast style.”

He added, “On the other hand, the movie that I recently completed – Muttiah Muralitharan biopic (titled 800) – that had a different feel and look to it. Balki sir wanted the broadcast style, and focus on special moments. Blue Star was a whole different treatment. They are all based on cricket but each project comes with a different look and feel, differing with the director’s vision.”

Dhruv’s new initiatives

Dhruv was the sports activities director on Ghoomer and King of Kotha whereas he was credited as a sports activities choreographer within the Muralitharan biopic and 83. He will even be credited as a sports activities motion director in Ashok Selvan’s Blue Star.