Actor Shani Shaki debuts as filmmaker with Oh! Mother India

When actor Dulquer Salmaan posts a heartfelt message about an upcoming film on social media, netizens sit up and take notice. Particularly, when it is accompanied by a vibrant illustration, which gives an aerial view of a lady in a sari riding a bike with a backpack, and a jeans wearing youngster riding pillion. It is a poster for actor

Shani Shaki

’s debut directorial Oh! Mother India, with the tagline, ‘A Journey With My Mother’.

“I’ve been working on the idea for a year, inspired by the travels of

Sarath

Krishnan, whose trip to the Himalayas with his 60-year-old mother, was much reported. It touched a chord with everyone. I have written a story based on this thread. The film will centre on an

amma-son travel

, but with many stories woven in,” says Shani.

Shani says that as an ad filmmaker, he had always thought of moving to films and Dulquer, who is a friend, too goaded him to take the leap. While he started work on two story ideas, he abandoned them midway feeling unsure about them. This story was something he connected better with, as he too is close to his mother. “It is not a road movie; it will be an intense family drama. Different modes of travel will be used, including flights, trains and buses, around India to shoot the film,” says Shani, who is co-scripting the film with Ramakrishna J Kulur, who wrote the screenplay for BTech.

He is hoping to start the shoot soon, though he has not announced the actors for the roles, keeping it as a surprise. “Everyone was surprised to hear that I am making a film, so let the cast be another surprise,” says Shani.

This is the story dedicated to every person who undertakes trips with their mothers, notes Shani. “Every mother wishes and hopes in her heart that her children would take her on a journey. I hope this film will inspire every single person to fulfill this wish,” he says.