Anurag Basu’s latest film, ‘Metro… In Dino’, has resonated deeply with audiences as a heartfelt continuation of the story begun in ‘Life in a… Metro’, which starred Irrfan Khan. Although nearly twenty years passed before revisiting this universe, Anurag’s connection to Irrfan’s memory remained a powerful influence throughout the project.Casting Approach: Singers Before ActorsIn a detailed conversation with News18, Basu opened up about his musical romantic drama and why Konkona Sen Sharma was the sole returning actor, with the rest of the cast being new faces. He explained “Vo, kya hai… Sabse pehle jab maine likhna shuru kiya tha, toh 3–4 saal pehle ek baar likh ke maine usko side mein rakh diya tha. When I was writing that film, Konkona aur Irrfan ki story main aage le ke jaa raha tha — from the earlier Metro”. Later, he got busy with other projects and didn’t immediately return to this film. When he finally revisited the script, the core story remained unchanged. Since Konkona’s role was always in his mind, he naturally reached out to her to reprise it: “Konkona ki casting mere dimaag mein pehle se thi, toh naturally… I called her.”Philosophy on Filmmaking and HonestyHe shared that unlike the usual practice of casting actors first, he actually chose the singers before the actors for ‘Metro… In Dino’. Chuckling, he confessed that composer Pritam was always a key part of his vision, stating, “Konkona and Pritam were the first final casting for this film.” Known for treating music as more than just background, Basu considers it a vital character in his films, giving his musicals a unique essence. When asked about India’s readiness for musicals, he confidently responded, “Yes, absolutely. If you look back at the old films, where our cinema began, this is our history. We had lost our way somewhere in the middle.”Basu shared that his deep bond with music doesn’t make him anxious about a film’s success. He believes overthinking can hinder honesty in filmmaking, turning the process into constant doubts like “will this work or not, let’s do this instead, let’s add that,” which he calls dishonesty towards the film. His philosophy is to create with honesty and give your best. He humorously remarked that if the goal is simply to please everyone, then it’s better to make rajma chawal instead — questioning the very purpose of making a film.Current Success and Future ProjectsOn the work front, Anurag Basu is currently receiving widespread acclaim for ‘Metro… In Dino’, which boasts an ensemble cast including Neena Gupta, Anupam Kher, Saswata Chatterjee, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Ali Fazal, Konkona Sen Sharma, Pankaj Tripathi, Aditya Roy Kapur, and Sara Ali Khan. Looking ahead, he is working on a new musical drama featuring Kartik Aaryan and Sreeleela in the lead roles.
