After backing films like ‘Uri: The Surgical Strike’, Ronnie Screwvala will now collaborate with producers Amar Butala and Garima Mehta to produce ‘Mission Majnu’, a film on India's most ambitious covert operation. The film is inspired by real events set in the 1970s and is the story of India's most courageous mission in the heart of Pakistan that forever changed the relationship between the two nations.
Written by Parveez Shaikh, Aseem Arrora and Sumit Batheja, the thriller stars Sidharth Malhotra as a RAW [Research and Analysis Wing] agent who leads the mission. This film marks two important firsts – it will be South Indian superstar Rashmika Mandanna's highly-anticipated Bollywood debut and the directorial debut of award-winning ad filmmaker, Shantanu Bagchi.
Lead actor Sidharth Malhotra, behind box-office successes such as ‘Student of the Year’ and ‘Kapoor & Sons’, says: “‘Mission Majnu’ is a patriotic tale inspired by true events that celebrates the hard work of RAW agents who go out of their way to protect the citizens of our country.
“It is a privilege to tell the story of our brave agents, and I am eager to revisit a mission that forever changed the relationship between India and Pakistan. I am looking forward to sharing this special film with everyone."
His co-star, Mandanna, who has headlined several successful films in southern India including ‘Kirik Party’, said she is looking forward to her Bollywood debut.
“As an actor it is always the story of the film that I connect with, and the language of the film is never a barrier for me. I am grateful to the makers for offering me ‘Mission Majnu’, which is written beautifully, and I am super excited to be part of a team that has so much passion. We are all working together to make it even more amazing. I am super excited to start my journey in Hindi cinema and to reach out to newer audiences," she said.
The film is produced by the companies RSVP and Guilty By Association and is set to begin its shoot from February 2021.
Director Shantanu Bagchi reflects: “It was primarily the script of ‘Mission Majnu’ that appealed immensely to me. It is a rare and fresh story set in a genre that audiences are very excited to watch.
“The more I read about that era, whether it be about the ordinary citizens, the politics or the military – the more I was drawn into this world of espionage, and this mission. I am excited to bring this story to audiences across India and internationally."
Producer Ronnie Screwvala says: “There are 1,000s of heroes who work behind the scenes to safeguard the interest of our country from other terror units and rogue nations.
“Their work often goes unnoticed and ‘Mission Majnu’ is an attempt to bring their sacrifices and efforts to the forefront. ‘Mission Majnu’ is a thrilling tale about one of the most daring and audacious operations in the history of RAW.”
Producer Amar Butala, whose previous films include ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’, ‘Kesari’ and the critically acclaimed ‘Love Sonia’ notes: “The film ‘Mission Majnu’ is a compelling story about freedom and the price we pay for it. It is a moving tale of patriotism and valour, but one which little is known about.
“I am delighted to have Sidharth and Rashmika as our lead cast- both of whom are strong performers and as excited by the script. I look forward to working with Ronnie and the team at RSVP on this film”
Garima Mehta, Producer at Guilty By Association, adds: "This year cinema hit a pause across India, but audiences have consumed a lot of world class content on the OTT platform. We believe that ‘Mission Majnu’ is packed with formidable content, strong characters, and a story that will bring audiences back to cinemas.
“As producers, Amar and I researched this mission for more than three years and worked closely with our writers to portray this untold story in the most enthralling way."