Sangeeth Sivan passed away on May 8 at a private hospital in Mumbai, aged 65. He was a prolific filmmaker, renowned for his work in both Malayalam and Hindi cinema. Notably, he was the elder brother of Santosh Sivan, another prominent figure in the film industry. Sangeeth Sivan Passes Away: From Mohanlal’s Yodha to Tusshar Kapoor’s Kyaa Kool Hai Hum, 5 Popular Films Made by Late Director and Where to Watch Them Online.

Among his notable Malayalam ventures were films like Yodha, Daddy, Gandharvam, and Nirnayam. In Hindi cinema, he left his mark with movies such as Zor, Chura Liyaa Hai Tumne, Kyaa Kool Hai Hum, Apna Sapna Money Money, and Yamla Pagla Deewana 2. However, there remains an intriguing footnote in his career—a noirish psychological thriller named Sandhya, which unfortunately never saw the light of day.

Sandhya, completed in 2003, was produced by Jackie Shroff and Ayesha Shroff under their banner Quest Films, with a screenplay by Shadab Khan. Interestingly, Shadab Khan, son of the late actor Amjad Khan, transitioned from acting (making his debut opposite Rani Mukerji in Raja Ki Aayegi Baaraat) to screenwriting with this project.

In a 2003 interview with Rediff, Shadab Khan expressed optimism about the film, stating, "The film has a pacy feel to it and with Sangeeth's innovative camera angles, the texture is very slick. I would call it a rock n' roll film." Sandhya featured a stellar cast, including Jackie Shroff, Raveena Tandon, Jaaved Jaaferi, Ashutosh Rana, Danny Denzongpa, and Raqesh Bapat (originally earmarked for Akshaye Khanna's role).

Though the plot details aren't very concise, there is a synopsis that we have found in the abscesses of the internet.

Dr Singhania, played by Ashutosh Rana, runs a mental hospital, and many patients have benefitted and recovered from there. One day begins like any other but doesn’t end well for the Dr. His world turns upside down when his entire family is murdered. Dr Singhania loses his mind and starts acting irrationally. He is then admitted into his own hospital due to his fragile mental state. He recovers after a few months and returns home. He makes up his mind to turn his home into a nursing home where people like him can come for treatment. However, things aren’t as easy as he thinks. As the death anniversary of his family nears, Dr Singhania starts slipping into depression again. Not finding any way to get out of the anxiety and depression, Dr Singhania makes the harsh decision to hire a hitman to kill him. As the days of his murder come closer, things appear to be different than what he expected. The ugly truth will soon come to light and Dr Singhania will be stuck in a web of lies and deceit.

In 2003, some promotional material of Sandhya was aired on TV channels and they created tremendous buzz for the film. Songs like "Maar Gayo Re" (picturised on Sophiya Haque) and "Mohabbat", a sensuous track picturised on Raveena Tandon and Jackie Shroff. There was a trailer too.

Check It Out Below:

Also do listen to the "Maar Gayo Re" song; it is a killer track, sung by Gayatri Ganjawala and composed by Anand Raaj Anand, that deserves your attention.

So Why Did the Film Not Release?

As a producer, Jackie Shroff ventured into the realm of unconventional cinema, seeking to create distinctive films. However, fortune didn't smile upon him. In 2001, his film Grahan, helmed by director Shashilal K Nair, faced significant delays, primarily due to a controversial scene involving the lead actress, Manisha Koirala, depicting disturbing sexual assault. Upon its eventual release, the film faltered at the box office.

His next production, Boom, was directed by Kaizad Gustad, who had earned acclaim for his Hinglish black comedy, Bombay Boys. Starring Amitabh Bachchan, Jaaved Jaaferi, Gulshan Grover, and Jackie Shroff himself, Boom also marked the acting debut of then-model Katrina Kaif, alongside appearances by Padma Lakshmi, Madhu Sapre, and Bo Derek (in a cameo). Despite generating buzz through trailers, intimate scenes, and songs, Boom faced a barrage of negative reviews upon its release, leading to dismal financial returns. Sangeeth Sivan Passes Away: 'Post in Progress', Director's Last Insta Upload Was a Pic With His Kapkapiii Lead Tusshar Kapoor.

The disappointing performance of Boom plunged Jackie and Ayesha Shroff into financial distress, leaving Sandhya, stranded in uncertainty. Compounded by legal and technical obstacles, the film remained incomplete.

Interestingly, Jackie Shroff wasn't the initial choice for the lead role in Sandhya. Director Sangeeth Sivan disclosed in an interview that Vivek Oberoi was the preferred candidate. Sivan recounted, "Ayesha did not want Jackie in the lead. Our first choice was Vivek Oberoi. But Vivek was not too keen. He wanted to do a few commercial movies first and establish himself before experimenting with a psycho-horror thriller like Sandhya. We wanted to make a quickie, so we decided to go with Jackie." We are still not sure if Sandhya was even completed. If so, we hope someone can upload the film to any OTT platform.

 

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 08, 2024 09:44 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).