After winning hearts with Oh My God 2, filmmaker Amit Rai returns with another emotionally driven story — Ohh My Dog, a film that celebrates one of the purest relationships in the world: the bond between humans and dogs.Written, directed and produced by Amit Rai, the inspiration was simple yet deeply emotional — the extraordinary love that dogs offer without expecting anything in return. “I just wanted to translate that love which a dog gives you. Unconditional love. To translate that, you need a story. And, a story is born.”Rooted in real emotionsWhile Ohh My Dog is not based on one particular real-life incident, Amit says the emotion behind it comes from real experiences. “The story is not inspired by one incident, but the love is a real-life incident,” he explains. A dog lover himself, Amit reveals that his own pet inspired a personal connection with the film. His dog is named Oscar that is the name of one the dog in the film along with Bruno, who are the true heroes.The film features a strong ensemble cast, including Pankaj Tripathi and Pawan Malhotra, “Shooting experience was very good. If you have such good actors, your work becomes easier,” says Amit. Through he admits, he had never shot with a dog before. If, they posed any problems, Amit responds, “No no. They have done everything. I haven’t done anything.”Hindi cinema has explored emotional stories around animals before, but Amit believes Ohh My Dog comes from a different place. “I wrote a story of love,” he says. For him, the film is also a reflection on how humans treat the animals who have stood beside them for a long time. “They have been with us since we were born. They always follow their dharma. What we are doing with them is also the story of our film.”Small-town dreams to cinemaAmit Rai’s own journey has been shaped by a lifelong love for films. Growing up near Kalyan, he was introduced to cinema at home. “Back in time we used to watch films on VCR. I loved watching them, and then started making them,” he puts humbly. his journey hasn’t been a piece of cake either. Though he studied science, doing his bachelors in computer science, followed by masters in arts, his heart remained connected to storytelling. “My first film (Road to Sangam) came in 2009. Mera bhi 14 saal ka banvas hai, had to wait 14 years for my next (OMG 2)The emotional journey of Dear JassiA writer to begin with, Amit co-wrote Dear Jassi, a project that deeply affected him. He wrote the film during the pandemic while staying at a hotel. During that process, he felt a strong emotional connection with the story. “I felt like someone was saying in my ears that someone has suppressed my story for years. You can make my voice heard,” he says. Amit believes the story itself guided him. “When the film was ready, I sat in that room once again. I sat there for a long time. I felt like that girl herself told her story to the world.”A filmmaker who still writes with pen and paperDespite the changing landscape of filmmaking, Amit remains old-school when it comes to writing. Asked whether he writes on a computer or phone, he smiles and says, “I am an old man. I write with pen and paper.” Writing, for him, never really stops. “I keep writing all the time. Something or the other keeps running in my mind,” he says.Amit also shares a warm connection with Chandigarh, having visited the city several times for work. “I have come to Chandigarh four times. I love Chandigarh,” he says, adding that he may shoot his next project in the city.With Ohh My Dog, Amit Rai hopes audiences experience the simple but powerful emotion at the heart of the film — the love of a companion who never leaves your side.Ohh My Dog hits cinemas on July 31.”Ohh My Dog is not just a film about a child and a dog, it is about learning to coexist with all living beings with compassion. If audiences walk away with a little more kindness in their hearts towards animals, I will feel this film has truly achieved its purpose.” — Amit Rai