Kanu Behl Talks About ‘Despatch’ and Unveiling the World of Journalism

Filmmaker Kanu Behl is back with Despatch, his third feature following the critically acclaimed Agra (2023), which made waves at the Cannes Film Festival last year. This edgy film dives into the world of journalism, following a protagonist who is in over his head as he seeks to uncover the truth — an investigation that snowballs and quickly spirals out of control.

Despatch paints a picture of the moral complexities and ethical dilemmas faced by journalists today. Behl's signature style is evident as he urges viewers to grapple with the cost of ambition and power.

Behl has assembled an impressive cast featuring Manoj Bajpayee and Shahana Goswami. Both actors have two films at the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival — Bajpayee in The Fable and Goswami in Santosh, which is also the United Kingdom's entry to the Oscars. Newcomer Arrchita Agarwal has been cast alongside them in a notable debut.

At the Q&A session following the screening at the festival, the cast shared anecdotes about working with Behl. They joked about his rigorous demands, saying that it often took around 40 takes to satisfy his exacting standards. Bajpayee humorously revealed that he “threw his lower back out” after so many takes of the film’s intimate scenes. Goswami chimed in with her own story, mentioning that she got a “stubble burn” from shooting a passionate scene with Bajpayee over a day and a half.

The Hollywood Reporter India caught up with Behl after the screening to find answers to some lingering questions.

The conversation has been edited for clarity.

Manoj Bajpayee and Shahana Goswami have mentioned how exhausting your process can be, often requiring 40 takes to get a scene right. Does a lot change through improvisation and experimentation between the first and the fortieth takes? What are you looking for?

It's a difficult question to answer. Sometimes, a lot changes, and sometimes, it doesn't. It really depends on whether the initial iterations are working. If they are, then something significant might not change. However, if I'm not able to create that immediate, personal feeling in the moment, then things can change drastically.

You mentioned that this film is a Faustian character study. Can you explain how Joy’s character developed and how Bajpayee was chosen for this role?

I started working on this idea back in 2016. The initial phase, which lasted about 18 months, involved extensive research with my co-writer, Ishani Banerjee. We spoke to a variety of people — journalists, lawyers, policemen, and even some sharpshooters — to get a sense of what the world felt like on the ground.

While we were aware of many public stories about the killings of journalists, our research uncovered many other lesser-known narratives. During this time, we realised two important things. First, when viewing the world from the outside, it becomes clear that as the wealth gap increases, power is concentrated in fewer hands. The world is becoming increasingly opaque, making it hard to understand who is doing what and the extent of various crimes happening around us.

Second, we were curious about why films about journalism often portray journalistic characters as idealistic figures carrying a torch to break stories without exploring them as flawed human beings. These two insights started to converge, shaping the evolution of our film.

With this external and internal perspective, we realised we weren't interested in creating a pure thriller. Instead, we wanted to further the conversation around the context of this film. That’s how the film you see now began to take shape.

As for Manoj, once we had the script and the character of Joy Bag, we knew there was probably no one better suited for this role.

Did you think Bajpayee’s previous work influenced your choice for this role?

It wasn’t just one thing that I saw. When we started preparing for the film, we discussed loose references from some of the characters he has played. We talked about Satya (1998) — where he delivered a completely red-blooded, warm performance reflecting a lust for life. Joy, in some ways, is similar; he truly wants to enjoy what’s around him and has a vision for the world he wants to build. We also referenced Gangs of Wasseypur (2012) and Shool (1999).

Shahana Goswami has limited screen time but makes a significant impact. This seems to be true for all three female characters. Can you elaborate on how you approach the portrayal of women in this film?

First, I needed a great actor for Shahana’s character, as it’s a crucial role that contrasts with the other two women. Even as we discussed casting, we recognized it was tricky because this part is smaller compared to the others. However, it was always the most critical role for me.

Kudos to Shahana for accepting this part, even though it seemed smaller. I remember our conversation about it; I told her, "You have to trust me on this. You will gain more from this film than from doing 20 scenes in any other film."

The women in his life reveal how he views his work and demonstrate his manipulative nature. He doesn't listen well and has a fixed idea of himself that he tries to impose on the women around him. Each of the three women, in their unique ways, senses this dynamic throughout the film.

What are your top three favourite scenes from the film?

The scene between Manoj and Shahana, where she expresses her desire for a baby and they end up making out, is definitely one of my favourites.

Second, there's the moment towards the end when Manoj is crying alone in the cab. That’s one of my absolute favourite moments. Every time I watch it, I feel deeply affected.

Third is the scene with the parents towards the end when he goes back home to get the money and say his goodbyes.