The Saudi Arabian production ‘7 Dogs’ features two prominent Indian actors, Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt, in its cast. Having already released in West Asia this past May, the film is now set to hit Indian theaters on August 21. Directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah recently opened up about shooting the film’s intense action sequences and collaborating with a talented ensemble that includes Khan and Dutt.
‘7 Dogs’ directors did their homework before shooting
Ahead of teaming up with the Indian stars, El Arbi and Fallah made it a point to do their homework, watching films by both Khan and Dutt to get a sense of their range and craft as performers. As Adil shared with Variety India, “We love history. We checked out the film ‘Bharat’ which stars Salman. It was interesting to see a fictional yet biography-style movie. We also started watching ‘Dhurandhar’ to understand the kind of films Sanjay does. We have not watched the second installment yet, but we plan on doing that soon.”Though they already knew Khan and Dutt commanded star status in India, the duo found themselves genuinely thrilled upon discovering the depth of their cinematic legacies. Adil shares, “It’s like having a filmography equivalent to Will Smith and Martin Lawrence. They are people with a tremendous amount of experience. They breathe cinema. It’s in their blood. When they come on set, they are like professional football players, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. They were helping us create by doing things beyond the script. They were filmmakers themselves.”
‘7 Dogs’ recreated Mumbai on a Riyadh set
Since the entire film was shot in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s capital, recreating an authentic Mumbai setting proved to be a particular challenge for the directors. Adding to the complexity, the Mumbai sequences were captured using a 360-degree camera, a technically demanding setup. Bilall Fallah adds, “It shoots everything around you. We were even in the shot at times. It was difficult to understand how it would work because it’s really about adapting your minds. Normally, you shoot one way and then add the stunts. But due to the 360 aspect, the actors had to act and perform the stunts at once. That is a challenge for both the directors and the actors. Also, our producer, Cyrus Patel, who is from Mumbai and India, made sure that the Mumbai sequence was authentic.”Even as the crew grappled with the tricky camera angles, Khan and Dutt consistently nailed their shots. Fallah says, “They were always ready to do the stunts themselves. When we were explaining things, they immediately understood the intent. It was super smooth working with them, even though the action sequence was really difficult to do. Even with the 360-degree camera, they knew exactly where the camera was and how to play with it during the most visceral action.“
‘7 Dogs’ promises an authentic cinematic experience
Wrapping up their thoughts, El Arbi and Fallah add, “This movie is a cinematic experience. There is original action. In fact, our two Indian stars have done all the stunts themselves.”