BANJO HITS THE RIGHT NOTES

In keeping with its title, Banjo promises to be an unconventional and an out-of-the-box movie. Said to be the first film based on a musical instrument, it centres around the subject of street musicians. While Riteish Deshmukh plays a banjo player from Mumbai slums, Nargis Fakhri essays the role of a New York-based DJ.

The meeting of these two musically-inclined individuals from diverse cultures follows a lot of drama, laced with an interesting soundtrack. The makers believe that the novel pairing of Riteish and Nargis and the local flavour will resonate with audiences across the country .

Calling the movie special, Riteish says, “Tarat is one of the most believable and rooted characters I have ever played. I have enjoyed the process of transforming into him and living him on screen. I am in awe of how he deals with life.“

Nargis adds, “Shooting for the film has been an enriching experience as we shot in real locations in Mumbai.“

Marathi film director Ravi Jadhav, who makes his Bollywood debut with this one, says, “What started off as a mere thought five years ago has eventually culminated into a feature film. It's like a dream come true.“

Producer Krishika Lulla sums it up saying, “The story of Banjo is real, rooted and believable, something that the audience can relate to. We hope that the movie gets the street musicians the respect they deserve as true artists.“

Banjo, produced by Eros International, releases today.

(TOI)