Determined to be true to the story of Saadat Hasan Manto in her biopic featuring Nawazuddin Siddiqui, director Nandita Das dedicated 10 years to discover the man behind the enigma. It was her passion that won over the writer's daughters, Nuzhat Arshad and Nusrat Jalal, thus convincing them to part with their story.

In a chat with mid-day, Arshad reveals that she first met Das in Lahore in March 2007. "I believe Manto's personal life hasn't been given its due share of coverage. People should know the loving father and affectionate husband that he was. He was castigated during his lifetime, but he continues to be as relevant today as he was sixty-three years ago."