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 Smera Productions in San Jose, California, announces its third feature film Shanti which is slated to commence production in November 2007.
This is the first Indian project for Smera Productions that will be filmed entirely on location in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. This is the first script that Chennai-born Hari Mahesh, a producer/director, has written.
The film is about Shanti’s life journey in a communally conflicted society in India. A feisty, defiant woman, marginalised by her community, Shanti breaks age-old shackles of Indian society with the help of Joshua Parks. Joshua is an American businessman frustrated with India and a business etiquette he can’t understand. One day, he discovers Shanti being humiliated by some local men, in the food stall she runs. Overcoming his pattern to avoid involvement of any kind, Joshua intervenes. Joshua’s concern for Shanti spurs her on to seize the inner strength to redeem herself and change her community. And by helping Shanti, Joshua ultimately helps himself escape the haunting legacy of the crime he witnessed as a boy and did nothing to stop.
Timely for today’s audience, this film exposes the hypocrisy of religious differences leading to hatred and violence. When the community is hit by a natural disaster, Shanti is the one person who makes a difference by responding with human compassion and true empathy. Her example brings the divided Hindu and Muslim community closer.
The screenplay of the film is complete and it is entirely storyboarded.
Smera Productions is in negotiations with various Bollywood actresses for the lead role of Shanti and with various Hollywood actors for the role of Joshua Parks.
Crew members who are attached to the project:
 Hari Mahesh, producer, director, writer. Mahesh, a native of Chennai, India, has been making films since 1995 through his production company, Smera Productions. He has completed two feature films, ‘Cult’ (2000) and ‘Love’ (2003) through his production company. Mahesh has been awarded an award by the mayor of San Jose for his work on Love. Both films were shown at the New York Independent Film and Video Festivals. Love was distributed through Tower Records.
(http://www.smeraproductions.com)
Rebecca Sanders, producer:
Rebecca Sanders wrote two scripts for Smera Productions and is experienced as an assistant director and script supervisor. She currently has a script under option. Another of her scripts was a finalist in last year's Hollywood Symposium Screenplay contest and another in this year's Scriptapalooza Contest. Rebecca is a reader for the Gotham Screenplay Competition and on staff with the American Screenwriting Association.
Mahesh Aney, cinematographer:
Aney won the National Film Award 2004, for internationally acclaimed ‘Swades’. He has worked extensively in television and film with thousands of projects to his credit.
(http://www.maheshaney.com/)
Nitin Desai, production designer:
Desai has won four national awards for Best Art Director including his work on ‘Lagaan’ (Oscar nominee, 2001.) His credits include ‘The Piano’, ‘Holy Smoke’, ‘Jungle Book’ and ‘Swades’. He was nominated for a Genie Award for his work on the Canadian film, Such a Long Journey.
(http://www.nitindesiaonline.com)
Mano Murthy, music composer:
Murthy won the prestigious Chennai Film Association Award for Best Music Director in 2003 for his work on ‘Preeti Premaya Prenaya’. The film won the National Award that same year.
Ballu Saluja, editor:
Saluja won the Screen and the IAFA Awards for ‘Lagaan’, which was nominated for an Oscar in 2001.
(http://imdb.com/name/nm1022139/)
Lovleen Bains, costume designer:
Bains won the National Award for ‘Muhafiz’ (1994) and was nominated for a Genie Award for the Canadian film Such a Long Journey (1999). Bains has worked with award-inning directors including Mira Nair, James Ivory and the late Ismail Merchant.
(http://imdb.com/name/nm0047788/)
Dave Yee, storyboard artist:
Yee worked as a Concept Artist at Industrial Light and Magic (ILM) from 2000-2005. During his stay at ILM, he worked as a visual effects concept artist on ‘Van Helsing’ and ‘Star Wars Episode III’.
(http://www.daveyee.com/)
For more details, check out:
http://www.smeraproductions.com or mail: info@smeraproductions.com
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