Imran says, “I identify very closely with my character Abhay Shukla. I am from Bihar and I know about the struggles of young students in the State to make a name for themselves. I may not be the right person to say this, but I feel like I’m the best person to play this character.”
Imran’s plans for wide release for Ab Dilli Dur Nahin partially prevented the unexpectedly huge success of The Kerala History.
But Imran is undeterred. “I saw it coming. I saw the trailer of The Kerala Story, not once but six times. I knew it had the potential to provoke and create controversy. They also adopted the clever strategy of screening the film at JNU (Jawaharlal Nehru University). It is true that we have been denied theaters because of The Kerala Story. Koi baat nahin. I am confident that we have made a film that touches the hearts of the audience without taking provocative jabs at any community. Education in our nation is beyond faith or community. And that’s the space I feel comfortable occupying in cinema.”
The costumes of Ab Dilli Dur Nahin have been designed by inmates of Tihar Jail under the guidance of designer Winky Singh. Imran says, “We wanted to tell an inspiring story about a Bihari boy’s dreams of conquering civil services. Everything in Ab Dilli Dur Nahin, including the locations and costumes, reflects a realism that defies the norms of commercial Hindi cinema. We feel it’s time to tell real stories. We are confident about our film despite The Kerala Story.”
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