Why Sushant Singh Rajput and Shekhar Kapur's unrealised Paani would matter today

As Mumbai and Goa dry up, and Rajasthan sees water protests, Paani, Shekhar Kapur's dream project with Sushant Singh Rajput, seems like the most important film Bollywood never made.

In Short

• Recent water shortages make the premise of Paani alarmingly relevant.
• Shekhar Kapur first thought of Paani in 2002 as a dystopian thriller.
• Sushant Singh Rajput had started rehearsing for the project at one point.

News headlines often seem straight out of films, blurring lines between fact and fiction. Over the past few days, certain headlines have seemed straight out of a film that was never made.

Shekhar Kapur wanted to make Paani with Sushant Singh Rajput, a film set in a dystopian future when the world has almost run out of water as a fallout of global warming. Recent news reports of Mumbai and Goa facing the threat of a severe water crisis, as well as protests for clean water in Rajasthan, bring the film to mind. The incidents bear an uncanny resemblance to what Kapur reportedly envisioned in his script.

Kapur was almost ready to roll the project with Sushant Singh Rajput as hero after several thwarted attempts. However, he fell out with producers Yash Raj Films, reportedly over creative differences.

A FILM NEVER MADE BECOMES REALITY

But more on why Kapur decided to part ways with YRF boss Aditya Chopra later, let's do a quick check first on recent incidents that make Paani seem like the most important film Bollywood never made.

Over the past few days, news headlines have routinely screamed the warning notes. Mumbai staring at water crunch: 7 lakes hold just 10.3% stock, BMC tighten taps (The Times of India). Mumbai stops water supply to pools, construction sites amid crisis (NDTV). Mumbai’s water crisis fuels tanker price surge (The Indian Express).

A report in India Today spoke of how protests had erupted in Jaipur, Rajasthan, over the paucity of clean drinking water. Another report spoke of how falling reservoir levels in Goa have prompted conservation advisories and a dam review.

The headlines echo Kapur's reasons for wanting to make Paani. On numerous occasions, he has spoken of how we are fast running out of water. Perhaps, the dystopian future where water is a commodity rare enough to start wars is almost here.

WHAT IS PAANI ABOUT?

Paani is about a future where humanity is divided into two classes – those who own water and those who don't. Water is the world's most precious commodity now, it controls the economy and politics of nations. As Earth's water supply dries up, wars break out. Although Kapur has always planned to make Paani on an international scale, he had his reason to set the film in India.

"I realised the film is more relevant to India than any other place in the world. Besides, it could be our breakout film that takes an Indian film in an Indian language to the world," Kapur said in an interview to this journalist, in 2015.

HOW SUSHANT SINGH RAJPUT CAME IN

Kapur had first thought of Paani years ago – in 2002, as a "futuristic story based on India's haves and have-nots". He'd hold on to his dream project for nearly 13 years before he seriously managed to make any sort of headway, with Yash Raj Films (YRF) agreeing to produce the film.

Despite planning Paani in an Indian set-up, his crew included the Oscar-nominated writer of The Truman Show, Andrew Niccol, and production designer John Myhre, Oscar winner for Chicago and Memoirs of a Geisha, besides India's Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman.

However, over a decade would pass and despite the filmmaker's ambitious plans, Paani didn't take off. Names that were linked to the project from time to time by unconfirmed reports included John Travolta, Johnny Depp, Aamir Khan and Hrithik Roshan. The decision to bring Sushant Singh Rajput on board happened around December 2013, the same year the actor made his big screen debut with Kai Po Che.

'CREATIVE DIFFERENCES' CITED

Kapur has cited "creative differences" as the reason why his collaboration with YRF ultimately fell flat. He has recalled an initial understanding with YRF boss Aditya Chopra that he would control the creative side of the film while the production house managed the business aspect.

However, in his words, issues started when YRF decided to drop Sushant. "Jab Yash Raj Films ne tay kiya ki voh Sushant ko nahin lenge, tab main toh 6 mahine se Sushant ke saath rehearsals kar rahaa tha (when Yash Raj Films decided they wouldn't cast Sushant, I was already doing rehearsals with him for six months)," Kapur said in an interview with The Lallantop earlier this year.

Kapur still feels things could be sorted out, and the film would be made if Sushant was alive. "Agar shaayad Sushant phir bhi hote, shaayad (Paani) ban jaati. But Sushant died, toh nahin bani (Perhaps if Sushant was still around, Paani would be made. But he died, so the film wasn't made)," he said.

The filmmaker has recalled how involved Sushant was with Paani. "He was very obsessive about the part. He was... like... 'No, this isn't right, how do I do this? How do I do that?'" said Kapur, adding: "He was an obsessive actor, but for me as a director, that's what I needed."

Kapur's hunt for an actor who can match Sushant's obsession for a role continues. He must get a producer to match his grand vision, too. Paani is a film that demands to be made.

- Ends