Is it a keen eye, or instinct? Or both? In his 23-year film career, Hansal Mehta has displayed a knack not only for compelling stories, but also for scouting talent. Be it Rajkummar Rao or Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story (2020) find Pratik Gandhi, the director has brought gifted actors to the fore. His yet-untitled next unites him with Kareena Kapoor Khan, a superstar at the top of her game. Not habituated to collaborations with big stars, Mehta says he was taken by Khan’s command over her craft.

“It was an absolute joy to work with her. She is such a good actor,” he begins. The noir thriller, which sees Kapoor playing a cop, marks the confluence of two different cinematic sensibilities—while the actor’s filmography is dominated by mainstream masala offerings, the director leans towards raw and hard-hitting movies. So, what happens when the two worlds come together? “One thing I can say is you will see a new Kareena in the film. We had a very good time shooting the film. With her, it’s the same kind of chemistry that I have with Rajkummar, Pratik, Mohammed Zeeshan [Ayyub] and Karishma [Tanna],” he smiles.