The cost of creating the villain Riz Raizada for the Abhishek Bachchan-Priyanka Chopra fantasy adventure Drona has come upto a staggering and incredible Rs 22 crore. Director Goldie Behl admitted to BT, “Riz has cost us a fortune!”It wasn’t just actor Kay Kay Menon, who plays Riz, that ran up this huge bill; but shooting at the Troja Castle in Prague, a tourist hotspot in the Czech Republic, which is supposed to represent Riz’s lair, escalated costs. Goldie shot there for two months with a team of 200-plus playing Riz’s army, then shifted to Film City at Goregaon where a set representing the castle was created.
The Troja Castle of baroque architecture housed the Czech Counts of Stemberg between 1679 and 1691. Today, it is famous for its art collection and sculpted statues of Gods fighting giants. It has a long, winding staircase that is known as the Stairway to Heaven and Hell. Goldie reproduced the castle’s gallery and interiors at Film City, but the exterior of his castle resembles the Bikaner Fort. “Generally a villain is not so much worked upon, but in Drona, Riz is a mighty character, he is grand and guileful,” explained the director.
Getting into Riz’s shoes was a fascinating journey for Kay Kay who found the villain’s character magical and mysterious. “It was very difficult to get into his world and equally difficult to come out of it,” said the actor who is hoping to scare audiences with his role.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
