The film *Rustom*, starring Akshay Kumar, takes on the subject of the Nanavati case from 1959, recounting the story of a decorated naval officer whose life is upended by his wife’s infidelity. The film deviates from the factual account, constructing a semi-fictional narrative that centers on the emotional core of the event, specifically, a crime of passion. The story plays around with historical facts to create a dramatic, ‘what-if’ scenario, aiming for a surprising resolution.
The film utilizes visual techniques to evoke the era and setting of 1959 Mumbai. The courtroom drama is a key element, designed to captivate the audience. The storytelling style and character interpretations have led to comparisons with and contrast from prior works that touched on the same subject. There was discussion over the portrayal of the female characters.
Director Tinu Suresh Desai shares the research done into the case, Parsi culture, and the look and feel of 1959 Mumbai. The director explains the process of fictionalizing the real story to maintain audience engagement. Desai also highlights challenges in the filmmaking process and indicates that he is eager to elaborate on the narrative in the future, as in a web series. He discussed that the production team worked closely to get the movie made, including Akshay Kumar. The director stated that their objective was to create a narrative that was inspired by real events, while weaving in creative details.