Ali Abbas Zafar's Dehradun home, which he built from scratch, doubles up as his writing pad

Ali Abbas Zafar brought in Eid at his new bungalow up in the hills, which boasts of a sound mixing, editing studio; director locked script of his next from new ‘writing pad’

Last year, on this day, Ali Abbas Zafar was gearing up for his Eid release, the Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif-starrer period-drama, Bharat. This year, the writer-director brought in the festival quietly at his new home, nestled amidst the mountains and a 45-minute drive from Dehradun airport. He moved in there with his parents in March, just before the nationwide lockdown was imposed.

“I was lucky to get out of Mumbai early. I left Dehradun in 1999 to go to Delhi University and since then, I have never spent so much time at a stretch with my mom and dad here. It is a blessing in disguise,” exults Ali, admitting that he hadn’t taken a break since Mere Brother Ki Dulhan (2011). “I have got some much-needed sleep, fresh air and lots of time to write.”

The house is Ali’s gift to his parents. “My parents, like me, were raised in Dehradun and this town is close to our hearts. I bought a plot of land here after Sultan and constructed this house through the making of Tiger Zinda Hai, Bharat and a show that I wrapped up recently,” he shares, informing that he designed the dream home from scratch—acquiring land to finalising the interiors. “Mom and dad are very happy. It is a good change for us to be in the middle of the mountains and so close to nature.”

Once normalcy returns, Ali will fly back to Mumbai to start work on his upcoming films. Ask him if the house would be his holiday destination and he laughs, “I have written all my films either in Dehradun or Mussoorie. I cut myself off from Mumbai to write peacefully here. So, yes, this will be my writing pad.”

I was lucky to get out of Mumbai early. I left Dehradun in 1999 to go to Delhi University and since then, I have never spent so much time at a stretch with my mom and dad here. It is a blessing in disguise. I have got some much-needed sleep, fresh air and lots of time to write.Ali Abbas Zafar

The filmmaker admits that the house has been designed in a way to enable him to work on post-production, too. “There is a sound mixing studio here. I can also edit a film in the house. It’s very simple, all you need is a machine and the hard drive. This is like my back office out of Mumbai,” he shares.

Ali has been writing scripts during the lockdown. “My next is a superhero film with Katrina (Kaif). Recently, I locked that script and it will go on the floors once the lockdown ends. I have completed the first draft of another film as well, and hopefully that script will be ready soon,” he says, adding that once back in action, he will go on a recce for the Katrina film. “There’s a lot of prep required because of the kind of action involved and I am in touch with an international team over video calls. I’m also doing script readings with my actors and chatting with the production designer. There’s a lot happening.”

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