Laxman Utekar directed Luka Chuppi which starred Kartik Aaryan and Kriti Sanon in the lead.
Laxman Utekar also talks about helming the Vicky Kaushal starrer Chhava, a biopic of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, the son of the founder of the Maratha empire, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
Vicky Kaushal and Sara Ali Khan starrer Zara Hatke Zara Bachke released on screens yesterday (June 2). The film follows the life of a married couple from Indore, who were once madly in love but are now on the verge of getting divorced. This is filmmaker Laxman Utekar’s third directorial venture after Luka Chuppi (2019) and Mimi (2021). Even during the shooting of the film, Zara Hatke Zara Bachke caught the attention of the audience as many believed that it was the second installment of the Luka Chuppi franchise. Reports started coming in that the film has been named Luka Chuppi 2. However, it was revealed much later that it has been titled Zara Hatke Zara Bachke.
Speaking exclusively to News18, Laxman cleared the air about the film’s working title Luka Chuppi 2 and said, “Luka Chuppi 2 was never the title of this film. When we were shooting for the film on the streets and markets in Indore, many locals used to click pictures and videos and put it on social media.” He further adds, “People started assuming it was Luka Chuppi 2 because I was directing this film and I had also directed Luka Chuppi.”
But does he have any plans to make a sequel to the Kartik Aaryan and Kriti Sanon starrer? “As of now, there are no plans to make it, but we can definitely think of making it in the future,” Laxman revealed. For those unaware, the film revolves around a couple exploring a live-in relationship in a small town. It earned favorable response from critics and was a box-office success.
Recently, the cinematographer-turned-director exclusively told us that he will soon be directing Kriti in a film again. But before that, he will direct Chhawa, a biopic on Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, the son of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the founder of the Maratha Empire. The film will have Vicky in the lead and will also feature Rashmika Mandanna. Talking about casting Vicky as a Maratha warrior in the film, Laxman said, “I started working on Chhava during the pre-production of Zara Hatke Zara Bachke. We had spoken to Vicky about Chhava even before we started shooting for the film. We had done the story but had not written the script.
Laxman believes that Vicky is a perfect fit to play the role of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, as he has a muscular body and pride. “I like Vicky as an artiste and as a human being. Sambhaji Maharaj was rich in well-formed and strong personality. To justify such a character, I needed an actor who was similar to Sambhaji’s personality. At the same time, I needed a great artist who could justify his character,” he explains.
And seeing Vicky’s earlier works confirmed his faith in the actor. “I thought I could only see in Vicky Kaushal. If we take Sardar Udham (2021) or Uri: The Surgical Strike (2019), we will see that he has played his roles with utmost sincerity. It was our idea to have him in the film,” says Laxman, adding that they are set to go on floors in September this year.
