Mumbai:
After Bollywood explored the themein films like Aakrosh and Love, Sex aur Dhoka, Australianfilmmaker Bill Bennett is all set to explore the issue ofhonour killings in India.
"I am doing a film on honour killings and will show itscomplexities. The film will be based in India. It will be athriller with a love story in the backdrop. I feel it is akind of Shakespearian tragedy with a couple who are ready todie for love," Bennett told PTI in an interview.
About the plot of the film, the 58-year-old directorsaid, "A woman comes from United Nations to India as an aidworker. She gets involved in this story. The couple wouldbe Indian."
Bennett, known for making films like Kiss or Kill TwoIf By Sea, was inspired to do the film after reading mediareports.
"I remember four years back I had read an article in anewspaper about the killings. It was shocking. I thought itwould make a fantastic film for western and Indian audience.So then I started doing research," he said.
Produced by Viacom 18 Motion Pictures, the film will beset and shot in India with an Australian and Indian star cast.
"There will be both Australian and Indian actors. We willbegin shooting from September-October this year and areplanning to release by the same time next year," the Bennettsaid.
"Early this year we did our research and went to Haryanaand Punjab to find out more about the subject in detail. Wemet a lot of people involved in honour killings. We aremeeting family members and human rights activists to get firsthand information about the incidents. The film needs to beauthentic, real and dramatic," Bennett said.
On the star-cast, he said, "We haven't finalised anyactors as yet. The scripting process is still on. I don't wantthe script to be influenced by the cast. I haven't met anyBollywood stars in this regard.
"Until we lock on the script I really cannot understandabout the characters and so I can't really say about the cast.Casting is an important decision. Lot of good films are ruinedby bad casting due to wrong reasons because they are big starsand that they will bring money," he said.
Anupam Sharma, an Indian producer based in Australia andIndian advisor Shahnaab Alam will co-produce the film thatwill be primarily released in English.
"I am doing a film on honour killings and will show itscomplexities. The film will be based in India. It will be athriller with a love story in the backdrop. I feel it is akind of Shakespearian tragedy with a couple who are ready todie for love," Bennett told PTI in an interview.
About the plot of the film, the 58-year-old directorsaid, "A woman comes from United Nations to India as an aidworker. She gets involved in this story. The couple wouldbe Indian."
Bennett, known for making films like Kiss or Kill TwoIf By Sea, was inspired to do the film after reading mediareports.
"I remember four years back I had read an article in anewspaper about the killings. It was shocking. I thought itwould make a fantastic film for western and Indian audience.So then I started doing research," he said.
Produced by Viacom 18 Motion Pictures, the film will beset and shot in India with an Australian and Indian star cast.
"There will be both Australian and Indian actors. We willbegin shooting from September-October this year and areplanning to release by the same time next year," the Bennettsaid.
"Early this year we did our research and went to Haryanaand Punjab to find out more about the subject in detail. Wemet a lot of people involved in honour killings. We aremeeting family members and human rights activists to get firsthand information about the incidents. The film needs to beauthentic, real and dramatic," Bennett said.
On the star-cast, he said, "We haven't finalised anyactors as yet. The scripting process is still on. I don't wantthe script to be influenced by the cast. I haven't met anyBollywood stars in this regard.
"Until we lock on the script I really cannot understandabout the characters and so I can't really say about the cast.Casting is an important decision. Lot of good films are ruinedby bad casting due to wrong reasons because they are big starsand that they will bring money," he said.
Anupam Sharma, an Indian producer based in Australia andIndian advisor Shahnaab Alam will co-produce the film thatwill be primarily released in English.
