Director Kayoze Irani has stepped behind the camera for Sarzameen, a film he describes as an “emotional thriller” wrapped in the landscape of Kashmir but rooted in the delicate threads of familial drama. With a dream cast including Kajol, Prithviraj Sukumaran, and Ibrahim Ali Khan, the film promises both scale and soul. In this candid chat, Irani opens up about his vision, his casting journey, and what it really means to create cinema from the heart.

“At its heart, Sarzameen is a family drama,” says Kayoze. “It’s father-son, mother-son, father-mother, that is where I’d put the film. It’s not all dham-dhoom. Yes, the background score may give that impression, but beneath it all, it’s deeply emotional. If you come into the film for the experience, I hope you walk out with the emotion.”

Though the film is set in the politically charged valley of Kashmir, Irani is clear that the film isn’t just about patriotism or spectacle, “There’s a large canvas, yes. There’s a lot of patriotism in it too. But the beating heart is that of a family.”