Mumbai, March 6 : Ayaz Kohli, who served as a lyricist on the Vidyut Jammwal-starrer film 'Khuda Haafiz: Chapter 2', is making his directorial debut with the upcoming feature film 'Objection My Lord'.

The film stars Pearl V Puri, Vikram Kochhar, Zoya Afroz and Mishti Chakraborty.

It is touted to be a courtroom drama on black magic.

The cameras for the film are expected to roll from March 20.

Talking about why he chose this script as his directorial debut, Ayaz said: "Since arriving in Mumbai in 2017, I've been working on a few scripts, with 'Objection My Lord' being one of my earliest endeavours. The script's positive reception from those who heard it encouraged me to use it for my directorial debut. I'm confident that the audiences will love the film when it hits theatres later this year, as many who have read or heard the story have already showered it with praise. Indeed, the courtroom drama centred on black magic is a truly captivating script.'

Sharing how Pearl V Puri, Vikram Kochhar, Zoya Afroz and Mishti Chakraborty, came on board for the film, he said, "Pearl was the first person I confided in with the idea for my movie. He was immediately impressed by the concept and the clarity of my vision for its development. Zoya's reaction mirrored Pearl's enthusiasm. However, Vikram joining the project right after his success with 'Dunki' directed by Rajkumar Hirani truly felt like catching a favourable wind. Mishti, the last to join, provided the essential tailwind that propelled us forward.'

Ayaz also spoke about his journey of transitioning from an IRS officer, then a novelist, to a lyricist, a script writer, and now director.

"When I cracked the civil services exam and became an IRS officer, I thought I had reached the pinnacle. However, after a few years, I realised a restlessness within me that grew stronger with time. This is what led me to write my first novel, 'Snakes in the Meadows'. After publishing it, I once again felt the urge to explore new horizons. This prompted me to move to Mumbai and pursue my passion for writing,' he said.

Ayaz added: 'I wrote lyrics for numerous songs, while simultaneously delving into scriptwriting. My latest transition, becoming a film director, occurred very recently after my producer and I were convinced it was the right step for me.'

/IANS