Last Man in Tower, the screen adaption of the novel by White Tiger author Aravind Adiga, will release in theatres on September 11, producers Spirit Media has announced. Directed by LA-based writer and filmmaker Ben Rekhi, the film stars Manoj Bajpayee, Boman Irani, Divya Dutta and Sukant Goel.
The story follows a Mumbai housing society upended when a builder’s offer to buy out the building splits its residents. Bajpayee plays Masterji, a retired schoolteacher who refuses to go along with his neighbours’ decision to sell, a stand that puts him at odds with people he has known for years, including Mrs. Puri, played by Dutta.
The screenplay is adapted by Sooni Taraporevala, with Hindi dialogue by Juhi Chaturvedi. The film is produced by Rana Daggubati, Rekhi, Guneet Dogra and Pratiksha Rao. It is the sixth feature for Rekhi, an LA-based writer-director whose credits include thriller drama Waterborne, and the crime thriller Watch List. He previously wrote the English dialogue for Sir Ben Kingsley and Amitabh Bachchan in Leena Yadav’s Teen Patti (2010).
Rekhi called working on the film with Daggubati producing and Taraporevala on script a fulfilling experience. "The most rewarding part has been witnessing the power of Manoj and Boman — two giants of cinema — working together for the first time in this film," Rekhi said. "Divya brings an incredible depth and emotional strength to the ensemble, and the combination of these three actors makes the world of the film particularly special. Last Man In Tower is an urgent story about holding onto community and family through turbulent times… a story that has only become more relevant with time."
Daggubati, who founded Spirit Media in 2005, said the novel’s appeal lay in how it draws out something universal from a very specific set of characters and their choices. "The entire ensemble of cast led by Manoj, Divya, and Boman bring an incredible depth to their characters. Last Man in Tower also marks an important milestone for Spirit Media as our first Hindi feature production, and our continued effort towards creating space for fresh new stories and voices for the big-screen audience.”
Last Man in Tower releases in Indian theatres on September 11.