Waheeda Rehman reminisces Guide days as she returns to Udaipur

File image of Waheeda Rehman. Image sourced from mid-day archives

More than 50 years after shooting for classic Guide in Udaipur, veteran actor Waheeda Rehman is taking a trip back to the city of lakes. The 81-year-old actor is in the city to shoot for her upcoming feature Desert Dolphin, being directed by Los Angeles-based debutante filmmaker Manjari Makijany.

"I've come to Udaipur after a very long time. I was last here when we were shooting for Guide and we had stayed at the Lake Palace Hotel. I was pleasantly surprised when the filmmakers organised a memorable trip to the Palace where I could relive those memories," Rehman said in a statement.

Desert Dolphin is a coming-of-age story of Prerna, a teenage girl, who finds freedom on the skateboard and Jessica, an NRI, played by Amrit Maghera, who gains purpose when she builds Rajasthan's first skatepark for the local community.

The film is set in the rustic village of Khempur near Udaipur, Rajasthan, where the filmmakers have built one of India's largest skateparks.

Rehman, who was last seen in Kamal Haasan's Vishwaroopam II, said that in her over 60-year-long career, she has never measured a project on the basis of its budget as she believes in experimenting. "I never think of project as big or small. From the very beginning, I wanted to and have been experimenting. But in my 60 years of career, I have never said yes to a project so quickly.

"Before this, I hadn't heard much about skateboarding or seen a skatepark in India. But when I heard the story of the film and its unique concept, I felt so inspired that I immediately agreed to do the film," Rehman said, adding that the film also marks her first collaboration with a female director.

Producer Emmanuel P of Skatepark Films said, "It was such a relief when she said yes because we were trying to connect with her for a while and knew going in that she usually doesn't say yes to projects easily." Manjari and her sister, Vinati Makijany, are the daughters of late Bollywood actor Mac Mohan, who was famous for his various villain roles in films such as Zanjeer, Don, Sholay and Shaan, among others.

Vinati is the co-writer and co-producer of Desert Dolphin, which is slated to release in 2020.

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