EXCLUSIVE: Creator Gaurav Shukla on turning Asur into a film, 'Would rather make a spinoff of character Shubh'

Asur 2, directed by Oni Sen and starring Arshad Warsi and Barun Sobti among others is the most preferred show on Jio Cinema currently. Both seasons of Asur can be streamed for free.

By Rishil Jogani

Updated on Jun 10, 2023 | 06:42 PM IST | 492.1K

The character of Shubh from Asur 2 can get a spinoff (Credit: Jio Cinema)

Arshad Warsi and Barun Sobti led Asur 2 released on Jio Cinema early in June and it is being appreciated by one and all. Asur is being regarded as the best Indian series by many for its perfect blend of mythology and science. The director, creator and writer of the show, Oni Sen, Gaurav Shukla and Abhijeet Khuman respectively, graced Pinkvilla for an interview of theirs where they discussed about their show Asur 2 in length.

Director Oni Sen Believes Asur Could Have Been Possible In A Film Format If Looked At, Differently

In an exclusive Pinkvilla interview with Himesh Mankad, when director Oni Sen was asked about his views on Asur being a 2½-3 hour feature film, as it was initially planned when it was conceptualised, he said, "I think the vision would have been different. I am sure that at that time, what Gaurav had written, that is the version that I have not read, would be different. Would it have been possible? I personally feel it could have been possible, looked at it differently. Because there are a lot of films that we know are extremely gripping and complex and are in the realm of the 2½ hours that we are talking about. But it could have been a different approach altogether. But the way it's spread out (the show version of Asur), where all the characters besides the three main characters, especially in season 2, have their own arcs, their own lives and their own story, that wouldn't have happened of course. It would be a more compact canvas."

Gaurav Shukla Appreciates Filmmakers Who Can Deliver Impactful Content In Less Time

Gaurav Shukla, who created Asur way back in 2009, added onto what Oni Sen mentioned. He said, "The vision was to make a very compelling film. There was either TV or film and TV obviously cannot make such content. The idea was to make a film and I could make it in the best way possible with the resources I had. In the show however, we could also explore the small characters. If I had to make a film, it would be more about Dhananjay, Nikhil and the villain or probably Lorark's character because the character was still there when it was in the form of a film. It was more centred around the main plot and the way we have explored the whole life cycle of the show, it would probably be more challenging as a writer/director to deliver the same impact in lesser time. That's why making films is a very special craft and it is huge when you can say something with the same impact which we are doing right now. Both are different crafts."

Gaurav Shukla Is Fascinated By The Thought Of Writing A Spinoff For The Character Of Shubh

When asked if he ever thought on making a crisper version of the show, he said, "It occured to me and if I had to ever make it, I would be fascinated to write a spinoff of Shubh's character because there is a lot which we couldn't tell and could be explored. So rather than making Asur into a film, I would like to make a spinoff of Shubh."