3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Uttar Pradesh my lucky charm, says Not So Long actor-director Man Singh
Actor-filmmaker Man Singh is once again gearing up for his projects in Uttar Pradesh, which he calls his 'lucky charm.' His recently released feature film So Long Valley, where he served as actor-director, was partially shot in Pratapgarh, and his next three projects as both actor and filmmaker are also scheduled to be filmed there. Actor-director Man Singh
Ahead of the pre-production for his next project Pradhan, in which he plays the protagonist, Singh visited the state capital.
'Starring Annu Kapoor, Zarina Wahab, and Virendra Saxena, we will start shooting in November. We are finalizing the female lead opposite me. The story is by Delhi-based playwright Shailesh Tripathi, who may also direct the project, which we are producing. We've scouted locations in Prayagraj, Pratapgarh, Sultanpur, and Varanasi,' he says.
The film is about a UP native who returns from the US to his roots and the events that unfold afterward.
'My personal connection and the life I've seen here while growing up and schooling (in Pratagarh) surely draw me back. But beyond that, it's the realism, colours, language, culture, and flavours that attract me as a filmmaker. Ultimately, along with art, it's about business too. That's why so many projects, big or small, are being shot in UP,' says Singh.
As a director, he has helmed the feature film Delivery Boy: Webbi, starring Mugdha Godse, Pradeep Nagar, Edin Rose, and himself, among others. Based on the concept of digital arrest, it may release later this year. It was too partially shot in UP.
'For my next directorial venture, Shwet, which revolves around drug trade, we've locked Annu Kapoor, Sanjay Kapoor, and Anupriya Goenka. It will be shot in Ladakh, the North-East, and my partially lucky Prayagraj-Pratapgarh belt.'
Singh emphasizes that he is an actor first and then a director. 'My guru and mentor, theatre personality Satya Dev Dubeyji, said one should know everything and keep the passion for acting alive by exploring other roles. My acting journey began with Acid: Astounding Courage in Distress (2020), which tackled acid-attack issues and was shot in Pratapgarh, where I played the antagonist.'
On a concluding note he adds, 'I turned director with the OTT horror series Intezaar: Koi Aane Ko Hai (2022) and made my feature film debut with So Long Valley, starring Vikram Kochhar, Tridha Choudhury, and Akanksha Puri.'
