Debutant director Vivek Sharma spoke about the subject of his directorial film 'Chal Zindagi', which is based on a road trip, and shared his experience working with veteran actor Sanjay Mishra. He said: "'Chal Zindagi' is a road trip movie which gives a real-life experience of travelling on road as well as our life's journey.
It's about how life and emotions accompany us during a road trip on our bikes and eventually lead to a journey of a lifetime. It's a slice-of-life movie."Sharing how Sanjay Mishra came on board supporting a new filmmaker like him, he added: "While writing the story, Sanjay Mishra Ji's image was already set in my mind for the character Sada.
But, being a newcomer, I was very worried before meeting him and was thinking about whether he would say yes or no to 'Chal Zindagi'. When I was narrating the story to him, he was quiet for 45 minutes, then he stood up and walked away to another room.
I assumed a no from him and started putting my stuff into the bag ready to leave with loads of disappointment but suddenly he turned up and said, 'Vivek, we will complete this movie in one go to give viewers a realistic experience of our journey'."
"I was in seventh heaven, and a legend like Sanjay Mishra Ji said yes to a newcomer like me and that too in the first meeting. Its was a dream come true for me. That's how it all started."Sharing his experience directing Sanjay Mishra on set he said: "Sanjay ji showered all his experience on me to make this movie with the right approach.
Making a travel movie is a very tough task as the entire movie is to be shot on road at realistic locations with challenges at every step. Sanjay sir always stood by me whether he was in that scene or not.
We shot in extreme climatic conditions in Ladakh with very little oxygen to breathe in, but Sanjay sir always came before call time and used to discuss with me and the entire technical team how to make the scene more interesting.
He is truly a highly professional actor with a pure soul. I am blessed to work with a legend like Sanjay Mishra ji."Speaking about how the whole idea of this film came into existence, he said: "I have always been a dreamer and travel freak since my college days and had a dream of riding on a superbike to Leh which is the highest motorable road in the world.
But, being from a middle-class family and with limited resources, I could not make it in my college days and it was on the to-do list. Secondly, I am a good observer and absorber of everything happening around me.
So, I summed up my dreams with my real-life observations to write and direct 'Chal Zindagi'. You can say, I am living my dreams through the journey of this film."