Written and directed by Umesh Bist, Pagglait, which released early this year, was applauded for its nuanced portrayal of a complex subject which was balanced with tasteful humour. The film marked many firsts — it was Balaji Telefilms and Sikhya Entertainment‘s first co-production, it marked Arijit Singh‘s debut as a composer, the return of Neelesh Misra to film lyrics and Sanya Malhotra‘s first film as the sole lead with a strong ensemble cast.
Post the success of Pagglait, the team behind this delightful film are all set to come together yet again. The producers of the film — Balaji Telefilms‘ Ekta Kapoor and Sikhya Entertainment‘s Guneet Monga — have joined hands to sign Umesh Bist as the director for a three-film deal.
Guneet Monga shares:
I still remember the day I met Umesh sir. His vision for his stories is unmatched and it is inspiring to see his faith and commitment to a project. Team Balaji has been a delight to work with and we at Sikhya are looking forward to this collaboration. We went through so many amazing experiences together that it feels quite natural to continue this partnership.
Talking about the association, Umesh Bist shares:
It all started when I first met Guneet in 2018 and there’s no looking back since then. As a filmmaker, all you want is a collaborative ecosystem where the team puts all their might in doing the best for the movie and I am glad I found this in Sikhya and Balaji. The trust they put in a director is rare. As partners, they add on to each other’s strength points, I am excited to take this journey forward with them.
Commenting on this collaboration, Ruchikaa Kapoor Sheikh, Creative Producer and Executive Vice President at Balaji Telefilms, says:
Pagglait resonated with Indian audiences in unimaginable ways. Everyone found a connection with the story and that is Umesh’s biggest strength. Furthermore, the film established an equity between Balaji and Sikhya and we’re thrilled to come together to tell stories that are both emotional and entertaining, stories that find their way to the hearts of the audience.
The team is now ready with the first film and the announcement of this project is on the cards. I sure cannot wait for that to happen soon and to see what this trio has in store for us.