Shanker Raman on casting Bobby, Vikrant and Sanya in Love Hostel

Five years after Gurgaon, director Shaker Raman returns with Love Hostel. The film, another North Indian-set thriller, stars Bobby Deol, Sanya Malhotra, and Vikrant Massey.

Discussing the casting process, Shanker says, "Sanya and Vikrant were an easy choice. Their body of work speaks volumes. More importantly, they loved the script. It is always a pleasure to work with actors who love the written word. They were so easy to be with. Open, participative, and passionate about raising the bar.”

The surprise, then, was Bobby. “It was Gaurav Verma from Red Chillies who suggested that we could narrate the script to Bobby," Shanker recalls. "I feel that was one of the best things to have happened. Bobby gave us great feedback, but he wasn’t sure if he wanted to do it. We went back and wrote another draft, and it was only then that he said yes.”

The suggestions helped elevate the emotional quotient of the film. “He prepared for the role by absolutely surrendering to the process. For a director, that is gold. Bobby brought credibility to the role with total commitment.”

Love Hostel premieres on ZEE5 on February 25.