R. Balki’s much-awaited thriller, Chup, releases September 23

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Known for his standout originality in stories and storytelling (Cheeni Kum, Paa, Ki & Ka), and for presenting unexplored themes in a commercial format, R. Balki now presents his most ambitious (as in scale of thought!) film till date, Chup, a film title last used in the forgettable 1997 film, spelt Chupp!

Releasing on September 23, Chup is a romantic and psychopathic thriller, a story idea that came to Balki after Cheeni Kum, which he decided to write much later.

Says Balki, “Chup is special for more than one reason. For me the biggest reason is it marks the official debut of Amitabh Bachchan as a music composer! Amit-ji watched Chup and played an instinctive original melody on his piano as he relived the film. It was his way of expressing his feelings for the film and paying a tribute. This composition, his gift to the film, will be the end title-track of Chup. I don’t think there can be an artist whose sensitivity can beat Bachchan’s and Chup has his touch!”

(Now here is where we nitpick a shade in a key matter: Hadn’t Amitabh Bachchan composed and sung the track Badumbaa in 102—Not Out, the 2018 film?)

Headlining the power-packed cast of the film is Sunny Deol, Dulquer Salmaan, the Malayalam cinema superstar, Shreya Dhanwanthary, who made a mark for herself with Scam 1992, and Pooja Bhatt, who recently made a comeback with Bombay Begums. The movie is produced by Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, Anil Naidu, Dr. Jayantilal Gada and Gauri Shinde. The screenplay and dialogues have been co-written by R. Balki, critic-turned-writer Raja Sen and Rishi Virmani.

The director of photography is Vishal Sinha and the music is by S.D. Burman, Amit Trivedi, Sneha Khanwalkar and Aman Pant besides Bachchan. The lyrics are by Sahir Ludhianvi, Kaifi Azmi and Swanand Kirkire.

It is clear from the above, and the teaser as well, that songs from Guru Dutt’s Pyaasa and Kagaz Ke Phool have been used in the film, which marks a fresh innings for Sunny Deol too. S.D. Burman, Sahir Ludhianvi and Kaifi Azmi thus get official top credit for the re-creations we will hear.

The last time, such credits were officially given in the film’s posters and hoardings, press releases and credit titles were in the 2011 Dharmendra-Sunny Deol-Bobby Deol home production Yamla Pagal Deewana, as the Laxmikant-Pyarelal-composed, Anand Bakshi-written song was composed and used as the film’s title as well.