But don’t expect the violence of the controversial 1954 novel, where a group of children stranded in a deserted island torment each other despicably, in Ringo’s film. “I have tried to retain the essence of the novel. My film is a psychological thriller but it’s not as dark as the book,” he says.

Interestingly, Neel Rajar Deshe will be the first Bengali children’s film to come out of Tollywood in the last five years. “Patalghar was the last Bengali children’s film and I do realise that Neel...has a lot to live up to. But I know that I’ve made an honest film,” says Ringo.

Using the sophisticated VariCam camera, Ringo has made a “technically sound” product. “Neel... is the first Indian film to be shot in such technology. Viewers should expect a different kind of visual experience,” states Ringo.

The film, slated for a January release, will reunite Ringo with his Kranti villain Ashish Vidyarthi. “But Ashish doesn’t play the villain in this film. We needed a strong performer, which is why we opted for him,” says Ringo.

The real stars of the film, however, will be its child actors. “We have a really talented bunch of performers. And like Taare Zameen Par, the film will revolve entirely around them. We have no intentions of letting any stars steal the show,” he says.