Mumbai, Apr 21 (IANS): Actor Himanshu Malik, who is known for his work in films like 'Tum Bin' and 'Khwaish', has turned a director as he awaits the release of his debut film 'Chitrakut'.

The film that spotlights contemporary relationships, is slated for May end release.

Commenting on his decision to become a director Himanshu says, "The general kind of films that were being made did not engage with me. There was the Karan Johar's sugar laced old school films, the Yashraj in modern form but still somewhere trying to be deeply Indian in ethos, then there was the Anurag Kashyap independent wave which was for some reason rooted in heartland India - they were all wonderful films but none of them spoke of the world I knew."

He further mentions, "The stories and the world I grew up in were not being told and I simply wanted to get up and say them. The urban landscape and the myriad of characters I knew became my muse and I started penning down stories and therein started the road to where I am now. "

For him, the film "is a meditation about love and the nuances that make for the undefinable world of relationships".

Explaining the essence of his directorial debut, he shares, "It is also a simple story of finding love and losing it. 'Chitrakut' is the place where Ram and Sita spent their initial years of banishment, in some texts they are known to have had lived in bliss of each other, never after their stay in Chitrakut - since their bond was broken after her abduction, never before - since he was son, king, brother in Ayodhya. This metaphor of life and love became the basis of the film."

Asked if he is also acting in the film, Himanshu adds, "No, I am not, though for want of a better cast I have made a fleeting presence somewhere beating someone, which I was anyway doing during the production."

On his journey from being an actor to director, Himanshu comments, "Actually, the skill that came most handy as a director is the fact that I had been an actor in my earlier avatar. In the end, filmmaking is an intimate human art, unless your actors are not on point the story will never get told the way you want it to. Thus, my background really helped, to know the rhythm of an actor is the most essential."

He adds, "As for the journey, I got the usual treatment of reluctance and sniggers to accept this new role, but I never seem to care about such things."

'Chitrakut', presented by Akbar Arabiyan Mojdeh and Mojtaba Movies, has been produced by Akbar Arabiyan, Himanshu Malik, and stars Auritra Ghosh, Vibhore Mayank, Naina Trivedi, Kiran Srinivas and Shruti Bapna.