It’s Definite! Zeishan’s next two projects set in UP

Gangs of Wasseypur writer-actor Zeishan Quadri’s next as a director will be shot in Lucknow next month. The actor, popular for his character Definite in GOW2, was in the state capital in April for a recce.

“The web series is set in UP-Bihar and the story begins from Lucknow. So, we need to shoot it here and had lockdown not happened we would have already shot it. Besides, I have another series, a revenge drama, set in Western UP which is in the final stage of scripting,” says the filmmaker.

He has already shot a major portion of the untitled series in Ranchi with Nakul Sehdev, Anupriya Goenka and Soundarya Sharma.

“We still have Saturday-Sunday lockdown in UP and can’t shoot in the night so we are rescheduling everything as dates of actors too have gone haywire and the crew will be of around 100 people. We need to at least shoot for seven days.” Besides direction and being the showrunner, he has also done a cameo in the series.

After his directorial debut Meeruthiya Gangster (2015), he was not seen much in action. “Writing has kept me busy. My film Chhalaang as a writer released last year, before that Halahal with Sachin Khedekar and Barun Sobti got huge critical acclaim, I also produced-directed a series Bhoot Parv. I was so busy with writing, production and direction that acting took a backseat.”

He was last seen acting in the OTT series Bicchoo Ka Khel. “Since then, a lot of acting projects are coming my way. I have signed three projects as an actor and have already shot for the second season of Your Honor in Chandigarh.”

Best known for writing and acting, he confesses that direction is something he likes most. “I was little disheartened after Meeruthiya… did not work on box office…reasons were many! But, on YouTube is has multi-million views and viewers are demanding its sequel. Had it released as OTT series or promoted well it then would have been a different level, but I have understood the game now…bahut maza aane wala,” he says in filmi style.

Zeishan has no plans for its sequel but has another script set in UP. “I am writing dark humour and revenge drama set in Western UP with multiple interesting characters. I am born in Wasseypur (Bihar now Jharkhand) and lived there and in UP, so I know these areas well and write what I have seen and experienced.”

On a parting note, he says, “I have 100% faith that third part of GOW will happen. Still, some work needs to be done but it will happen for sure.”