This Fourth of July will be a violent one thanks toLionsgateand Roadside Attractions, as they’re bringing the acclaimed Hindi-language action thrillerKillto theaters on Independence Day. Hailed for its remarkably brutal action, the film isa blood-soaked love storyfollowing an army commando named Amrit (Lakshya) who embarks on a journey to save his true love (Tanya Maniktala) from an arranged marriage she never desired. His trip to New Delhi by train becomes a slaughter when a gang of ruthless, knife-wielding thieves led by the infamous Fani (Raghav Juyal) begins terrorizing the passengers, forcing him to kill everyone in his path to save those around him. Ahead of its release, Collider can shine a light on the painstaking work behind the scenes with an exclusive featurette showing how the much-lauded gore came to life.
Thetrailers forKillhave showcased some kinetic, neck-snapping action that doesn’t skimp on the blood and the video explores how those scenes were built and filmed with help from cinematographerRafey Mehmoodto fully capture the brutality. One thing that sent the production to the next level was a talented team crafting the gory effects, from eye stabbings to head burnings. Prolific make-up and special effects artistsZuby JohalandRajiv Subbaare responsiblefor the gnarly prosthetics that helped make this one of the most violent films to come out of India. Work on the prosthetics started roughly four months before filming to ensure maximum realism, matching the many weapons used to commit the violence.
Despite being an unusually violent project for Indian cinema, writer-directorNikhil Nagesh Bhatand his team were widely encouraged in their attempts to pushKillto its violent limits. Inan interview with Collider’sSteve Weintraubat theToronto International Film Festivalwhere it premiered last year, Bhat said that it paid off when testing the film with audiences. All of his enthusiasm for making thicker blood and depicting violence with everything from knives to fire extinguishers earned love from audiences who were as delighted by the fun, gory action as they were disgusted.
“So most of the people who watched it, they were shocked. They were shocked, and they were pleasantly shocked. They were surprised. We were thinking that maybe the girls would not like it, and it was a surprise. They were screaming, they were shrieking, and they wanted to watch more, and they wanted to watch more blood. One of my friends said, ‘It’s a date film. It’s a date film. I want to go watch this film with my boyfriend because I want to hold his hand and I want him to protect me while watching this film.’ So, it’s a very different reaction. I was expecting a completely different reaction, but when I showed the film to her and two more friends of hers, oh my goodness, they were just ecstatic.”
‘Kill’ Is a Historic Achievement for Indian Cinema
The title’s TIFF Midnight Madness debut last year turned plenty of heads and earned very high praise, with comparisons being drawn to classics likeThe Raid. It currently sits at a strong 92% onRotten Tomatoes, with Collider’sNate Richardconcurring with the majorityin his B+ review, saying, “This is a very specific brand of action movie, especially with its graphic nature, but genre loyalists are likely to embraceKillas it seems destined to become a cult classic.” Such a strong critical and audience response across the board also grabbed the attention of Lionsgate, who broke precedent bysnatching the Indian thriller for theatrical releasesin the U.S. and U.K.
Plans are now also in placeto remake Bhat’s global hit for Western audiences.John WickdirectorChad Stahelski’s 87Eleven Entertainment banner has joined forces with Lionsgate for the English-language remake, with the helmer set to produce oppositeJason SpitzandAlex Young. Stahelski was similarly impressed by the feature, saying in a statement, “Killis one of the most vivid, wild, and creative action movies I’ve seen recently. Nikhil delivers relentless action sequences that need to be seen by as wide an audience as possible. It’s exciting to be developing an English-language version — we have big shoes to fill, and I’m looking forward to working with Nikhil, Karan, Apoorva, Guneet, and Achin to achieve that.”
Killhits theaters on July 4. Check out our exclusive behind-the-scenes sneak peek above.
