In 1998, the Johri Rifle Association was established in Johri, a village in the Baghpat district of Uttar Pradesh known for its lush sugarcane farms and high crime rate. Chandro Tomar, then aged 65, took one of her granddaughters along to get enrolled in the club. While showing her how to load a gun, Chandro found herself taking aim and, momentuously, hitting the target. This sparked an all-consuming passion in the septuagenarian. Along with her sister-in-law Prakashi Tomar, Chandro became one of the oldest sharpshooters in the world, winning over 25 national championships and inspiring a wave of female shooters across India.
The life of the ‘revolver dadis’ has been captured on screen in Saand Ki Aankh. The film, directed by Tushar Hiranandani, stars Bhumi Pednekar and Taapsee Pannu in the lead roles, with supporting turns by Vineet Kumar Singh, Prakash Jha, and Shaad Randhawa. Bhumi, who plays Chandro, recalls watching an episode of Aamir Khan’s Satyamev Jayate featuring the Tomar sisters. “The dadis have uplifted the lives of more than 50,000 women in Northern India,” Bhumi says.
“What inspired me the most was their fearlessness. Despite having lived their entire lives in a village, they didn’t hesitate to venture out and chase their dreams. At an age when people tend to retire, they toured the entire country and inspired millions. Their attitude and zest for life is fantastic.” Bhumi and Taapsee trained for over 35 days at the Maharashtra Rifle Association in Mumbai. The actors bonded over their love for the sport and the shared responsibility of shouldering a two-heroine film.
“This is the first time I have experienced solidarity of this kind,” says Bhumi. “Since the first day, it was clear that there’s no place for pettiness between us. By God’s grace, we are both secure actors who have been doing well in our respective spaces. There have been times (Manmarziyaan, Pati Patni Aur Woh) when we were offered each other’s films. But even such things could not create a problem between us.”
In Saand Ki Aankh, Vineet Kumar Singh plays Dr Yashpal, a coach who assists the dadis on their journey. The character is inspired by Dr Rajpal Singh, the founder of the Johri Rifle Association. Vineet has previously essayed an underdog boxer in Anurag Kashyap’s Mukkabaaz (2017). “I played an angry, angsty character in that film,” Vineet notes. “Dr Yashpal, by comparison, is a calmer, internalised role. He is someone who hails from the same village as the dadis. After passing out of medical college, he comes back to contribute socially to the village. He starts a rifle club and teams up with the Tomar sisters.”
'Saand Ki Aankh' film review: Taapsee-Bhumi starrer aims well but misses bullseye
The film marks the directorial debut of Tushar Hiranandani. As a writer, Tushar has penned commercially-successful films like Masti, Double Dhamaal, Housefull, and ABCD. The filmmaker insists Saand Ki Aankh is not a detour for him. “The way I see it, it’s a fully commercial film. I had a gut reaction to the story of Chandro and Prakashi and wanted to present it in an entertaining manner.”
Nidhi Parmar, former creative developer at Dharma Productions, makes her production debut with this film. Nidhi and Tushar got married in 2010 and floated their production banner, Chalk & Cheese Films, in 2016. “It was a big decision to quit our jobs and venture out independently,” Nidhi says. “When I started out, there were few women working in important positions in the industry. Today, that has really changed. There’s much more acceptance for female executives and producers. Of course, a lot more women are yet to get their dues. But a shift has surely happened.”
There has been some criticism over the team choosing not to cast age-appropriate actors for the lead roles. But Tushar contends, “My favourite film of all time is Mother India. Nargis had played that part in the prime of her career. So we see her entire journey, from young to old. Similarly, in our film, Chandro and Prakashi go from 16 to 60. I feel that casting of Bhumi and Taapsee has become the USP of Saand Ki Aankh. Honestly, if these girls were not playing older parts, you wouldn’t be as excited for the film.”