As 'Taxi No. 9211' releases this Friday, we present a CURTAIN RAISER for this Milan Luthria directed film that comes from the house of Ramesh Sippy productions.

Taxi No. 9211 has been shot in a single 45 day schedule from June 3, 2005, in and around the streets of Mumbai, in what Milan Luthria describes as "one of the most difficult but exhilarating shoots of my life!"

Taking on the task of shooting held hand footage to create a real pulsating feel, while avoiding studio recreations of Mumbai was a real challenge. Then came the job of filming a script that was tremendously intricate as it had two distinct layers of Mumbai...with sequences that are completely whippy and dynamic.

The core creative team comprising L.A. based cinematographer Kartik Vijay (who also makes his Hindi film debut here) and action director Abbas Ali Moghul deserve special mention for having battled many odds to create an extremely real but stylish end product.

Crowd situations, government permissions, the logistics of shooting taxi and car chases across the length and the breadth of Mumbai were tackled by the accomplished production team hand picked by Ramesh Sippy. There were so many scenes where action shots have been canned on the arterial roads of Mumbai. In the midst of this were the daunting 26/7 rains, that threw the schedule completely out of gear...but finally was just another hurdle to overcome!

Kudos to busy actors like Nana and John that they made time from their other commitments to adjust the loss in dates, and still bring the film on schedule by working extra long hours.

Rajat Aroraa worked on the screenplay meticulously for a year before commencement of shooting, in constant consultation with Milan Luthria as the aim was always to film a meaningful yet contemporary script, which was a first of its kinds. The result was this fast-paced narrative, laced with witty, sarcastic humor that tells the tale of two characters in less than two hours!

Director Milan Luthria has this to say "The visual styling of the film is remarkable and thoroughly contemporary. John and Nana have been the most dynamic choices in terms of casting opposites in terms of age, experience, approach, look...everything. And the chemistry they shared has an unexpected quality to it. Both have turned in performances which will leave the audience spellbound!

What was really amusing was the contrasting fan followings of the two actors on the shoot. John would have women from 6 to 60 drool over him, while the quintessential Mumbai crowds would scream and shout for a wave from Nana!!"

Nana's performance has never been less than superlative. This performance is superbly restrained with a comic timing that's amazing and a sensitivity that will really take the viewer by surprise. This is one actor who takes change and growth very seriously, and is bored with his own body of work! Taxi No. 9211 is a treat just watching him re-invent himself with tremendous awareness and consistency. With his recent successes 'Bhoot', 'Ab Tak Chappan', 'Apaharan' and 'Bluffmaster', this actor is perhaps at the most versatile phase of his career.

John Abraham is an actor who needed a good script and a director who could tap his talent, not just his good looks. In Taxi No. 9211, John has turned in a performance that will make a lot of people sit up and take notice of the actor within..an actor who takes his work very seriously, in deep contrast to his laid back bohemian image. The role of Jai Mittal, the acerbic scion of a resourceful business family, could be tailor made for the image John has.

With hits like Kaal and Garam Masala under his belt, this could well be the most important phase in his career...

Milan Luthria adds "Sameera Reddy has been a revelation. The screen chemistry she creates and the ease with which she got into the character of Rupali has been simply outstanding. Sonali Kulkarni brought charm and earthy simplicity to a role that seemed like it was tailor made for her. What is most fascinating is the charming disharmony that Nana and Sonali have brought to a typical middle class couple's role."

A film like this, shot on the streets of Mumbai could not have been complete without some interesting incidents....

Milan Luthria says "Working with Ramesh Sippy has been bliss. The creative freedom provided to the Director and his team is only enhanced by impeccable value systems and a well oiled production backup that has weathered many film making seasons. An incident comes to mind: While shooting one of the most crucial scenes of the film, the camera stopped working. It was late at night, and it would take hours to replace the camera. The actors and the crew were tense, because a phenomenal mood had been achieved through half the scene which had already been canned, and everyone was irritable at what had happened. Ramesh Sippy drove on to location, and his first words to me were; "Don't worry. How else will you remember the experience of this film??!!"

It's very rare that a Director gets such words of encouragement from the man footing the bill!!"