Taare Zameen Par actor, Tisca Chopra turns director with feature film Saali Mohobbat: It's truly satisfying

Hindustan Times

23-06-2025

"This was long awaited,' says actor Tisca Chopra, who is marking her directorial debut with the film Saali Mohabbat that hits the screens later this year. She shares, 'It has been on my bucket list as I enjoyed directing when I worked on a short film, Rubaru. Now, it's been so satisfying to write and direct a story that is close to my heart.' Actor Tisca Chopra
Speaking about the film, she says the scripting was finished just before the pandemic hit in 2020. 'I wrote Saali Mohabbat back then, and I remember every time I narrated the script to a potential producer, I was told, 'You have to direct this; you know it inside out'. This sentiment was echoed by Manish Malhotra (fashion designer) when I narrated the script to him. So here I am, a director and it's truly satisfying but my love for acting stays in place.'
Tisca emphasises her knack for spotting opportunities: "I always catch the ideas that are floating around, keeping your soul, eyes and antennae up." Beyond her directorial venture, she's also completed writing of another untitled film where she will be acting, "For now I am combining writing and directing or writing and acting, I feel acting and directing in the same project needs to wait."
For her, filmmaking is a collective endeavor. "At the end of the day, for me, it was never being in front or going behind the camera; it was more of a corroboration of different visions and departments coming together with one motive of making a film, and it's everybody's film."
On her debut film she adds, "Be it my producer or actors, all have brought so much to the plate. So it was never a day like running around saying, 'It's my film, so it should be this way.'"
Additionally, she's slated to sign a project by the year-end. "So technically, bahut kuch ho raha, and I am living through and making most of it."
While she is enjoying the new role, the last few days have been tough for Tisca, who had a close connect with the unfortunate Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad recently. 'Some incidents leave an indelible mark,' she says, explaining how her husband, Captain Sanjay Chopra, a former pilot for Air India, had flown with the airline for many years. She adds, 'We both are still recovering from the shock. AI is dear to us. In fact, we once boarded the same aircraft that crashed. We and all our pilot friends are dealing with the loss and coping with the tragedy. Our hearts are heavy and we are praying for all those who lost their lives in the fatal accident.'