October 13, 2025

Saurabh Shukla, a famous actor, writer, and filmmaker, recently opened up about his early days in movies. He spoke about working with director Shekhar Kapur on the 1994 film 'Bandit Queen'. This movie is based on the real life of Phoolan Devi, the famous bandit, and is adapted from Mala Sen’s book "India's Bandit Queen: The True Story of Phoolan Devi." The film starred Seema Biswas in the lead role and was directed by Shekhar Kapur. In a chat with ANI, Shukla said, "Shekhar was the first film director I worked with, and I was an avid fan of his films, Mr India, Masoom, and the third was Bandit Queen. When I met him, he was a big man for all of us. He and cinematographer Ashok Mehta. He (Shekhar Kapur) taught me a lot, both technically and emotionally." Even though 'Bandit Queen' had a heavy and dark story, Kapur looked for funny moments amidst the tension. Shukla recalled a scene from the film that did not make it to the final cut. He said, "There was a robbery sequence in the village. People were running here and there in panic... There was a liquor shop where two dacoits were throwing bottles, and a villager watching them said, 'Itni nikal rahe, ek aad hume bhi dedo' (You're taking out so many, give us one too). Even in that darkness, Shekhar found a funny, human moment." This way of seeing things left a strong mark on Shukla. He said, "In that film, in the company of Shekhar, I understood that without humour, it's half, not a complete picture. That's something I still follow." Shukla also praised directors like Shekhar Kapur and Ram Gopal Varma for capturing the true local language and feelings, even if they are not from those places. He explained, "Shekhar ko language nahi aati thi.. haan, Hindi aati hai unhe.. his Hindi was that of South Delhi, but he understood rhythm. I've seen him often close his eyes during a shot, just listening to the rhythm of the dialogue. That rhythm, that sound is instinctive..." The film 'Bandit Queen' won great awards, including the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi, and Filmfare Critics Awards for Best Film and Best Direction. Currently, Saurabh Shukla is well-known for his amazing roles in popular movies like Satya, Nayak: The Real Hero, Yuva, Lage Raho Munna Bhai, Barfi!, and Jolly LLB.

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Tags: Saurabh shukla, Bandit queen, Shekhar kapur, Phoolan devi, Bollywood, Film making,