Hindustan Times (Lucknow) - Hindustan Times (Lucknow) - Live
A tribute to brotherhood
Loud billboards on your way back home, intriguing posts on social media, shout outs on the radio, and more, to make you wonder what this colloquial sounding tongue twister, Lashtam Pashtam is. This rather odd arrangement of words is bound to pique your interest, but only a few know of its true significance.
Manav Bhalla’s directorial debut, the film is a story of friendship and brotherhood beyond borders, and stars the late veteran actor Om Puri, Tisca Chopra, Dolly Ahluwalia, Ishita Dutta, Feryna Wazheir, Vibhav Roy and Samar Vermani.
“Lashtam Pashtam is a film that celebrates universal brotherhood. While it has an India-Pakistan context, its essence can be true for any friendship that transcends the political borders anywhere. We are blessed to have a fantastic ensemble cast which was led by the legendary late Om Puriji, who gave his 100% to the film and believed in its theme of friendship beyond borders. The film also highlights the values that Omji held very dear to himself, both as a human being and as an actor — universal peace and harmony. Therefore, the film is aptly set to release over the Independence Day weekend. I will forever cherish having worked with Omji on (probably) his last film and my first,” says the debutant director.
The late Om Puri, who was known for his prolific body of work, crossed borders and appealed to audiences not just in India, but also internationally. And before his untimely demise, in a fateful coincidence, he was working on Lashtam Pashtam, a film that celebrates the warmth of camaraderie across borders.
Produced by Manav Bhalla and Gheorghe Seran, and directed by debutant Manav Bhalla, Lashtam Pashtam will release worldwide on August 10. The trailer of the film is out now.