Rumi Jaffrey: “Sushant Singh Rajput Was Going To Start A Film With Me’’

Writer-director  Rumi Jaffrey is  in a state of shock after hearing of Sushant Singh Rajput’s sudden death.

“This is  the  third death of someone so close to me  happening  within  weeks. Rishi Kapoor was like  a  brother ,  then Wajid  Khan who  was like family. And now Sushant….I can’t believe  it!  Sushant was  very close to me and my family. He  loved my wife’s cooking and insisted  on having her khana  as  soon as   the lockdown would be  over. We   had to  meet  for  the  film that we were  doing.  It  was  to be   produced  by  Vashu Bhagnani.  For some  time now Sushant and I were discussing  a possible  project together. He  told me  to leave the  choice of  producer  to him, We  finally zeroed  in on Vashuji,” reveals  Rumi.

 The shooting was to begin in July .  “We were to shoot the  film in London. But then this  virus ended all  our plans . We had promised to meet  immediately after the  lockdown. But it seems  God had others plans.”

Rumi Jaffrey  cannot understand why  Sushant needed to end  his  life. “He always had a smile for everyone. He was so full of  positive energy. My son  loved him. I am  talking to you away from his hearing distance  because he would get  very disturbed to hear me talking of Sushant in the past…It’s easy for people to  make sarcastic comments  on  the social  media  about all those  ‘privileged  Bollywood  people’ who abandoned Sushant in his final days. But no one abandoned him. During his final months he  just didn’t want to meet anyone.”

Is it true that Sushant recommended Rhea Chakraborty for  Rumi Jaffrey’s Chehre?

“Not true at all.Rhea was on  board from  the beginning. She didn’r replace Kriti Kharbanda. Crystal d’Souza did,” says  Rumi.