Debut director Sourabh Shukla’s 1888 a micro-budget, independent Kannada film is touted to be a thriller with demonetization set as its backdrop.
The film has reached the final stages of production and its release date will be announced very soon, we hear. 1888 has Prathap Kumar, Neethu, Manju Raj and Vikram Kumar in the lead roles.
On the film and her role in it, Neethu has been quoted by the Times of India as saying, “1888 is a thriller-drama with demonetization as the backdrop, which has been shot using guerilla filmmaking technique. The story unfolds within the first week after the demonetization drive was announced. There's no message in what we are trying to give; it's just a portrayal of events that unfolded immediately after the announcement, with more than half of the film taking place in a car.”
There are reports doing rounds that she might be playing the late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalitha in the film but there is no official word about this. We hear that she plays Sandhya Shetty an actor aspiring to make it big in politics.
1888 has been made using the Guerilla filmmaking technology so that it appears to be realistic. This means no sets were erected, no lights were used and no make-up for the artistes.
According to Neethu, the team would land up in public places, shoot the sequences of the day and wrap up. Incidentally, almost 50 percent of the film was shot inside a car.
Maharaj Thevar has composed music for 1888 with M Pradeep cranking the camera and Prashanth Pandit editing it. The film is currently in the post-production mode and its makers are expected to announce the release date anytime soon.
Reports are that 1888 may be out in the theatres early next month but we need to wait for the official confirmation.