The journey of the Hindi romantic film Cousin Isha, starring Vikrant Rai, took an unexpected and dramatic turn when a series of unforeseen events unfolded during its initial shooting schedule. What began as a routine production soon transformed into a moment of reckoning, ultimately reshaping the film’s creative and production destiny.
Originally mounted under the banner of Shrestha Productions and directed by Vaibhav Verma from Lucknow, the film Cousin Isha went on floors in Bhagwant Nagar, Kanpur, with a full team arriving from Mumbai. However, it quickly became evident to the producers, financiers, and crew that the director was woefully unprepared. Despite having an entire year for pre-production, the lack of planning, vision, and on-ground readiness resulted in mounting challenges from the very first day of the shoot.
As problems escalated daily, the situation grew increasingly alarming. Within a week, the production was forced to halt entirely, incurring heavy financial losses. The setback came as a shock to everyone involved, but instead of abandoning the project, the makers made a bold decision—to regroup, rethink, and rebuild Cousin Isha from scratch.
In a decisive move, director Vaibhav Verma was removed, and Shrestha Productions was replaced altogether. The entire previous production setup was dismantled to make way for a fresh start of Cousin Isha. With the unanimous consent and strong backing of the crew, lead actor Vikrant Rai stepped up and was appointed director on the spot. This pivotal moment marked the birth of a new banner—Vikrant Rai Films (VRF).
Along with the change in leadership came changes in the cast of Cousin Isha. Actress Harshika Kewalramani, a disciple of Manoj Bajpayee who was initially cast as Isha, had to exit due to date issues. She was replaced by Surbhi Talodia, a well-known and popular face in the advertising world. The second female lead also saw a change, with television actress Riya Kapoor stepping in to replace Oshi Shahu, who had prior commitments to another TV show.
Vikrant Rai, a familiar and respected name in Indian television and Hindi cinema—known for films like UVAA, Bhouri, and Tatkshan—brought renewed energy and clarity to the project. The latest schedule of Cousin Isha has now been successfully shot in and around Azamgarh under the banner of Vikrant Rai Films, signalling a confident revival and a fresh chapter for the film.
