In India, films and shows revolving around medicine are rare, and the ones that are there are more focused on the personal love lives of doctors. However, the Shefali Shah, Kirti Kulhari-starrer Human, is different as it is a medical thriller. It is being helmed by Vipul Amrutlal Shah and Mozez Singh (who has also co-written the show with Ishani Banerjee). While his wife Shefali is not new to the world of OTT, this is the filmmaker’s maiden digital venture.
Opening up about how the idea came to him Vipul shares, “The world of pharmaceutical drug testing and human trials have been untapped. Earlier, I had an idea of making it as a film, but the subject was too vast and hence decided to develop a web show. Post which, my writers Mozez and Ishani took a different route altogether and wrote a 10-hour story around it. They brought two strong female characters that work for the digital world. The whole narrative took a wonderful change thereon. We worked wherein the second wave was peaking, but the support of my amazing cast, technicians and DOP made it possible.”
Vipul Amrutlal Shah |
He further adds, “There was a lot of content and material that had come, but it couldn’t have summed up in a film as films generally focus on one topic. The digital narrative is easily an eight to 10-hour format. The primary characters Dr Gauri, Dr Saira and Mangu and their back stories had to be told in an episodic way.”
Mozez Singh | Pic: Instagram/mozezsingh
Co-director and writer Mozez shares, “I wrote all the characters with a similar intensity of emotions. The three main primary characters are particularly driven by an emotion, Gauri by grief, Saira by shame and Mangu by guilt. I continued to write everything that propels the story. It was a joy to shoot with an incredible team of cast and crew.”
Shefali Shah | Pic: Instagram/shefalishahofficial
Shefali is excited because her character is someone she has never played before. “Gauri is someone I have never heard or seen. I must say that Vipul and Mozez were supportive, indulgent and patient with me. I don’t have words to explain Gauri as it is written very strongly. As an actor, it was risky yet challenging for me to do this role. Until I read the script of ‘Human’, I didn’t know the magnitude of drug testing and human trials,” she explains.
Kirti Kulhari | Pic: Instaram/iamkirtikulhari
Kirti feels lucky to be a part of this unique show. “I was travelling to Lucknow when I got a call from Vipul that he wants me to play Saira. He sent me the first five episodes, and I finished reading them in one go. I feel it is such a well-written script, which is a rarity in our country, at least in Bollywood, that I was thrilled and made up my mind to do this. I am a sucker of unknown territories, and ‘Human’ offered me a role and a world which I have never done or seen before,” she gushes.
Vishal Jethwa | Pic: Instagram/vishaljethwa06
Mardaani 2 fame Vishal Jethwa plays the role of a victim named Mangu. He says, “After Mardaani 2, I wasn’t sure what to do, and I was analysing whether I should tap OTT or not. Vipul sir and the casting director offered me this role, and I felt Mangu’s character had a full journey. Shefali ma’am and Kirti ma’am were two big reasons to do it too. I also got to learn from two directors; Vipul sir is practical while Mozez sir is emotional. They have done an amazing bifurcation of the episodes.”
Human will begin streaming from January 14. It also stars Ram Kapoor, Aditya Srivastava and Seema Biswas.
