Anup Soni the saviour turns baddie

Anup Soni

We saw him propagate the need to minimise crimes in society during his stint as host of Crime Patrol, but when backing a film on human trafficking, Anup Soni has decided to slip into the role of the antagonist instead. A source tells mid-day that Soni will be seen as the mastermind behind the trafficking nexus in the short, a brainchild of an assistant director on the crime show.

"The film is a drama which sees Anup play the antagonist. It's inspired by a few real stories. Ankur Shah, an AD on Crime Patrol, came up with the idea a while ago and discussed it with Anup. Since he had some time before he commences work on his next with Sanjay Dutt [Prassthanam], he decided to finish this one," says the source, adding that the film will be shot over a 16-day schedule from next week, and is eyeing a year-end release.

Soni says he gave his nod to the film because it holds relevance today. "It carries an important message and shows me in a way I've never been seen before. I play a man who has been brought up in the city slums. The character's look is rustic, and his journey, emotional." Soni met several people who reside in the slums to understand nuances of his character. "I noticed their body language, the way they talk, and dress. I also read up about cases based on this subject."

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