top of page
The Communiqué News

Tarsem Singh set to shoot his first film in India

The much acclaimed and celebrated director, Tarsem Singh is all set to shoot his first film 'Dear Jassi' in India. This is the first feature film that Tarsem will shoot in India.

This is the first feature film that Tarsem will shoot in India.

Based on a true story, the movie has been shot by the celebrated Hollywood cinematographer Brendan Galvin.

The film is produced by Bhushan Kumar, Wakaoo Films- Vipul D Shah, Ashwin Varde, Rajesh Bahl, Creative Strokes Group (Sanjay Grover) and Tarsem Singh.

It has been scripted by 'Oh My God 2' writer and director Amit Rai. The subject of 'Dear Jassi' has always been close to Tarsem. He shared, "It's my passion project. And I believe this is the right time for the world to see it. Such a strong story needs to be told." The film's crew consists of an eclectic mix of top Indian and international names with the post-production happening in Montreal, Canada. Some of his most notable movies in Hollywood include The Cell (Jennifer Lopez), The Fall (Lee Pace), Immortals (Henry Cavill, Frieda Pinto), Mirror Mirror (Julia Roberts) and Self/Less (Ryan Reynolds, Ben Kingsley). Other than feature films, Tarsem is globally renowned for his award-winning ad films and music videos featuring the world's topmost brands and artists like Brad Pitt, Lady Gaga, Deep Forest, R.E.M and Enrique Iglesias amongst others. Tarsem believes it was the correct synergy that made the film possible. "I had a great set of producers partnering with me on this film."

Bhushan Kumar who is immensely happy with the experience said, "This is our first foray into mainstream international cinema and we are thrilled with the experience." Vipul D Shah of Wakaoo Films said, "Tarsem is a maestro and it was indeed magical to watch him weave his magic on set." Ashwin Varde of Wakaoo Films added, "It's an extraordinary subject helmed by an extraordinary director; the world is going to be stunned." Rajesh Bahl of Wakaoo Films said, "Tarsem is a class apart. His passion and dedication to the craft is unparalleled; his vision is spectacular." Sanjay Grover (former Executive & Producer, MGM Studios, LA) of Creative Strokes Group continued , "Having made films at MGM Studios; producing my first film with a director like Tarsem whom I love and to partner with visionary producers like T-Series and Wakaoo Films is truly very exciting." 'Dear Jassi' was shot across Punjab over a span of 50 days and the last schedule of 2 weeks will be shot in Canada very soon.

The film will see a huge worldwide release in mid-2023.



Netflix to celebrate Yash Chopra's legacy via docu-series 'The Romantics'

Mumbai [India], January 30: Late filmmaker Yash Chopra's iconic cinematic journey has inspired filmmaker Smriti Mundra to helm a docu-series about him.


Swati Bhat

Global streaming giant Netflix is coming up with the docu-series titled 'The Romantics', which will feature 35 leading voices of the Hindi-language film industry and dive into the history of Bollywood through the lens of the Yash Raj Films' impact over the past 50 years in making Bollywood globally known.

Sharing details on the collaboration, Monika Shergill, VP - Content, Netflix India said, "Fondly remembered as The King of Romance, Yash Chopra's films brought in a new wave of emotion, individualism and cultural change to Hindi cinema and helped turn one of the biggest film industries in the world into what it is today. In celebration of the iconic songs, stories and the nostalgia, we're partnering with the creative powerhouses, YRF and Smriti Mundra to bring The Romantics to our global audiences. The gripping documentary series is the real and definitive story of Yash Chopra and his son Aditya Chopra's journey to building a world class studio and will give our viewers a glimpse into the lives of one of the most influential families in Bollywood film history." The trailer of the project will be out on February 1.

It was Yash Chopra who redefined Indian cinema by spreading romance and love through his films. From Raj-Simran to Veer-Zaara, the late director had given iconic love stories to Hindi cinema in his career spanning six decades.

He died on October 21, 2012, just a month before the release of his last film, 'Jab Tak Hai Jaan'.



SCO Film Festival begins in Mumbai today

Mumbai (India), January 27: The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Film Festival began with a grand star-studded opening ceremony and a colourful cultural evening highlighting the diversity of India, at NCPA in Mumbai today. With popular film personalities of Indian cinema as well as SCO countries in attendance, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting and Youth Affairs and Sports Shri Anurag Singh Thakur and Minister of State (External Affairs and Culture) Smt. Meenakshi Lekhi inaugurated the SCO Film Festival.


Swati Bhat

The Guest of Honour in the opening ceremony Ms. Hema Malini and other eminent film personalities like Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Hema Malini, Sajid Nadiadwala, Esha Gupta, Poonam Dhillon, Eli Avram, Hrishita Bhatt and Jacky Bhagnani were felicitated on the occasion.

The seven Jury Members of SCO Film Festival –China’s film director Ms. Ning Ying; Musician from Kazakhstan Mr. Dimash Kudaibergen; Filmmaker and Film Critic from Kyrgyzstan Ms. Gulbara Tolomushova; Russian Film Producer and Journalist Mr. Ivan Kudryavtsev; Film Producer, Actor and Author from Tajikistan Mr. Mehmedsaid Shohiyon; Uzbekistan’s actor Mr. Matyakub Sadullayevich Matchanov and Chairperson of the jury and acclaimed Indian film-maker Rahul Rawail were also felicitated.

While delivering the welcome address, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting said, “SCO Film Festival presents unique opportunities and incredible possibilities for film makers to network, pitch, collaborate and experience the best from the world of cinema”.

Union I & B Minister stated that the SCO Film Festival is being organized to mark India’s Presidency at SCO and India’s goal of organising the festival is to showcase the diversity of films and various styles of film making from the SCO region. “We also aim to build cinematic partnerships, have exchange of programmes, nurture young filmmaking talent and act as a bridge between the cultures of this unique region”, added the Union Minister.

Minister Anurag Thakur said, with a spirit to unite and promote the art of cinema and build cinematic partnerships, the SCO and NFDC aim at making the SCO film festival a collective cinematic experience for the Indian and International film fraternity, budding filmmakers and cinema lovers across the SCO region. Union I & B Minister further informed that accelerating networking and pitching for Indian Cinema will be at the core of SCO Film Festival. He said, “Under India’s Chairmanship of the SCO, this festival is all set to be a melting pot of myriad vibrant cultures, spectacle of aesthetic sensibilities and sheer cinematic excellence”. We must utilise this platform to deliberate and dwell upon pertinent concerns of contemporary times such that they accurately reflect the realities of the present century and our people, through cinema, he further said.


Cinema in SCO Region

Union Minister Anurag Thakur said, “The SCO region is a confluence of diverse civilizations and a cradle of rich traditions of art and culture. This has been reflected in the cinemas made in SCO countries, which has been globally appreciated and awarded”. “We must come together and co-create films that reflect our civilization, culture and cooperation over the years”, he urged to the SCO members.

The Union Information & Broadcasting Minister recalled that Prime Minister Modi had remarked at the inauguration of National Museum of Indian Cinema here in Mumbai in 2019 that, films and society are a reflection of each other. And what one sees in films is happening in society and what is happening in society is seen in films

Speaking about cinema, the Union Minister said, Cinema captures and chisels the conflux of a country's rich culture, legacy, heritage, hopes and dreams, aspirations, ambitions and timeless tales of a nation in transition. “Cinema truly captures the essence of communities, cultures, contradictions and reflects our collective conscience in so many cinematic ways”, he added

Indian Cinema

“We are geared up to make India the world’s content and post production hub - fuelled by the passion and talent of our brilliant film making minds!”, said I & B Minister as he remarked that in merely over a century, Indian cinema has transcended boundaries and is not only seen as an art but a powerful medium to connect and influence people and cultures across the world. "We are the world’s largest producer of films, constantly updating and innovating and increasingly the preferred choice for Animation- VFX for some of the worlds most loved movies", he stated.

Union Minister Anurag Thakur said, India has the largest community of creative minds, tech talent, skilled manpower, cost efficiency and world-class post-production facilities to cater the film industries worldwide. He said, " Our ‘creative economy’ is taking advantage of the OTT platforms; the Modi government policies are also forward looking and keeping pace with the needs of the industry."

India has officially designated audio-visual services as one of 12 'champion service sectors’ and the AVGC task force comprising of industry leaders have shared a roadmap for transforming this sector. Further, at the Cannes Film Festival last year, India announced two schemes to encourage filmmakers and content creators to come shoot in India. These are the Incentive Scheme for Audio-Visual Co-production and Incentive Scheme Shooting of foreign films in India. I & B Minister urged the SCO Member countries to explore these schemes. “These can truly unleash the potential of the SCO region”, he said.

“Indian movies are a rage across SCO countries and have played a great role in people-to-people connections”, said I & B Minister as he thanked the SCO delegates for the love shown towards Indian cinema in the SCO countries. He noted that Indian cinema has been extremely popular across the Central Asian region.

He recalled that in 1957, Mother India became an international hit and actor-director Raj Kapoor was lovingly mobbed on the streets of Moscow and Beijing. Raj Kapoor's ‘Awaara’, was one of the first Bollywood movies to be screened in the erstwhile Soviet Union.

"Dilip Kumar, Dev Anand and Nargis had millions of fans in several of these countries. In the 1970s, and 1980s, Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan had provoked cross-border hysteria with his numerous hits and punchy dialogues! Mithun Chakraborty’s popularity and dance moves in the SCO region is fondly remembered and remains unmatched!", He stated

He added, "Baahuballi’s action packed sequences were immensely popular and garnered many fans across the SCO region along with Ajay Devgan starrer ‘Drishyam’ which is widely appreciated for its acting, plot and story line!"

The Union Minister also informed that recently in a SCO Youth delegation which he hosted in New Delhi, delegates sang various Indian songs and were dancing to the beats of some popular songs from the era of Raj Kapoor and Mithun Chakraborty. “That is the power of cinema and film industry!” At the popular Meloman chain of music and CD stores across Kazakhstan, there is a special corner for Indian movies, he added.

MoS (External Affairs and Culture) Smt. Meenakshi Lekhi said, what we are establishing through this film festival is actually our friendship in the region through SCO, which is a multilateral body and speaks volumes about friendship amongst the neighbours has to be. On 17th September, 2022, India assumed the chairmanship of SCO states. This film festival is one of the events as part of SCO celebrations. “All our friends from this region get to be represented in this festival of storytelling, narrative-building, bringing hearts close to each other because there can be no unity until and unless we all understand each other and stand by each other”, she said. Referring to the ancient Indian text 'Natyashastra' which defined theatre, Smt. Lekhi said, India has a great tradition of storytelling.

The dignitaries present on the occasion included MP (Mumbai North-East Constituency), Manoj Kotak, MP (Mumbai North Constituency) Gopal Shetty, Minister for Tourism, Skill Development & Entrepreneurship and Women & Child Development, Government of Maharashtra Mangal Prabhat Lodha, Additional Secretary (Films), Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Neerja Shekhar and Festival Director and MD, NFDC Shri Prithul Kumar amongst others.

The very first edition of SCO Film Festival in India will screen around 58 films from 14 countries in both Competition and non-competition category. The festival opened with the screening of Tamil film “Appatha”, directed by Shri Priyadarshan and starring Smt. Urvashi. At the screening of the film, Honorable Minister of Information & Broadcasting also felicitated both Director Priyadarshan and Urvashi, the lead actor.





bottom of page