EXCLUSIVE | Sohum Shah: 'People said let Crazxy be an OTT release, Tumbbad 2 is a big responsibility because...'

Sohum Shah, the star of unique titles like Tumbbad and Crazxy, spoke exclusively to Firstpost about the unconventional stories that he has been a part of, the idea behind his latest release, what to expect from Tumbbad 2, and the thought behind two climaxes in Crazxy.

Edited excerpts from the interview:

What are the responses that you have received for the film so far?

The response is amazing. It’s a small film, and people around me were telling me let this be an OTT release and not a theatrical one. But I was stuck on the fact that it has to be a theatrical release only. The amount of love we are receiving is truly humbling and I’m very grateful. The fact that its a one character film and its so new, its a very gutsy move.

But the biggest compliment I’ve got is people actually have asked me if I am a doctor - what better compliment can one actor get that people actually believe that I are actually the character and what better compliment can a producer get than after Tumbbad, I am again trying to do something new and gutsy. Its great to see that my intent has resonated with the audiences.

Whose idea was it to call it CrazXy and not Crazy?

It was Girish, the director. He has a specific reason why X is in the title. For everyone who has watched the film know why, and for those who haven’t, do go watch and find out.

Sunil Dutt did a film called Yaadein in 1964 where he was the only character in the film. And now we see this film. How did this idea come about?

This idea of the film isnt ours, the credit solely goes to Girish Kohli, the writer and director. He had  written the script in 2017 - we didn’t know each other back then. In 2018, when Tumbbad released, he liked my work and approached me as an actor. And the interesting thing is - in an industry where there is a lot of conversation about writing, scripts don’t exist at a pitching stage, ideas are existing and then folks develop on it which takes a long time - Girish at that time, came with a bound script. I loved it so much - it was a page turner and in 2 days we were signed on and on board. All the credit on idea, story and bringing the vision to life - is all Girish.

Sholay had two climaxes and now Crazxy.  How did you think of this masterstroke?

Okay, before I answer the fact that you’ve said Crazxy, Sholay and masterstroke in one sentence - what more can I ask for? But in all seriousness, there is a saying - Necessity is the mother of invention. I guess this is what happened with us also. We made the film and presented it to audiences with a lot of love. We were receiving very good reviews but the one feedback we got was that if the climax was more engaging, it would be more fun.

So essentially what we did with Gish is put our heads together to see what we can do to make the experience better. So within 2 days, we shot what we thought could add more to the story and gave it to the audiences. We never had anything shot before hand and that this was a plan that we will release in the second week…

What we actually did is respond to the feedback we got and that it had merit and we should take it seriously. And if there is anything I have to do to make the film better, I am game for getting it done. Folks around me thought I’d lost my mind… The fact that it was in the theatre - was really a matter of fact. I truly believe that making a film is only half the journey - the audience’s love always completes it.
Our climax tweak was just an extension of that philosophy.

What was it like shooting the tyre changing scene where you are handling a live surgery and the phone call from the kidnapper?

It was very difficult. We rehearsed the scene for about 2 weeks and for someone like me - who has never even changed the tyre of a Maruti, had to change the Range Rover tyre from scratch. At the same time, the terminology of doctors, the length of takes, you can’t afford to forget and miss one beat. And while making this look natural, keep a rhythm and the internalisation flow to resonate in physicality - it was crazy difficult. This scene was the main scene in the film and we hadn’t rehearsed this much for any other scene.

What can we expect from Tumbbad 2?

Everything we have to give. You can expect something absolutely fun, immersive and engaging. Tumbbad is a huge part of the reason why I am here today. So, it deserves all our time, attention, magic, love and more. Our full effort is to take forward the story of Tumbbad and where we left off. Hopefully we will have more resources so we can scale up, create a bigger experience, do something new and just give the audiences an entertaining experience. It’s a big responsibility and an even bigger privilege.

What are the similarities between the world of Tumbbad and Crazxy?

Both are crazy. Tumbbad was also crazy and this time we decided that lets just even name the film crazy. Making Tumbbad was a crazy decision and making Crazxy was as much a crazy decision. They both have something new, and something unpredictable. At the same time, both films tried to push the genre they were made in a little further and not keep it linear. Tumbbad horror as a genre was pushed and in Crazxy, the thriller genre was explored.