Another book makes it to screen

Vatsal Sheth and Nikita Dutta. Pics/Instagram

Ajinkya Bhasme, the author of 7 Hours at Bhata Road, has joined the list of writers whose works have been adapted for cinema. The adaptation will feature Vatsal Seth and wife Ishita Dutta, and will shed light on the subject of class inequality that forms the crux of the book. Bhasme, who began his career as a chemical engineer, says, "The underlying message of class inequality and deviance that my book talks about will be reflected magically on screen. The director was keen on creating a setup that would be as close to the original work as possible.

[The world of cinema] is new for me, so I will let the experts in subject matter [take the needed decisions]. They have been in the industry for long enough to know more than I do. As the father of this work, I will express my viewpoint with regards to the past and the future of my story. My book starts and ends mysteriously; I love teasing the reader. For the [filmmaker], it is important to consider what was going on in the author's head."

Ajinkya Bhasme

Seth and Dutta will be seen as a couple that has "depth in their relationship". "When you are with someone for so long, you don't always need to speak to express things. Your body language says a lot. And who better to portray that love than a couple that has already experienced it for one another?" says the writer.

Bhasme describes the book as an occult horror, set in a village. "The story progressed in different timelines. But the highest thrill is to see if Aditi and Sandesh survive. They get stuck for seven hours, and every chapter is a countdown to [the final hour]."