Award-winning producer Shiladitya Bora revealed on Friday that Actor Huma Qureshi will be the headline actress in the upcoming investigative police procedural drama Bayaan. Bikas Mishra, who directed the acclaimed feature film Chauranga, is developing and directing Bayaan at Film Independent, Los Angeles.
Huma Qureshi to lead Bayaan; filming starts in Rajasthan
Bayaan also features actors Chandrachur Singh and Sachin Khedekar among others and commences production in Rajasthan this month. The movie is being produced by Shiladitya Bora (Platoon One Films), Madhu Sharma (Summit Studios), Kunal Kumar, and Anshuman Singh.
The annual beauty of Rajasthan forms a backdrop to the plot of this tale about a father-daughter team. “Roohi is a female detective whose first case as an investigator leads her to a small town in Rajasthan where she must try to solve it. Unfortunately she is going up against someone with too much influence within the system so Roohi’s chances of success are slim. She had better fulfill her father’s shoes who was renowne for keeping the law,” according to its logline.
Consequently, it gained support from International Film Festival Rotterdam’s Hubert Bals Fund and was developed at LA Residency under Global Media Makers (GMM) program of Film Independent, Los Angeles. While involved in residency, Craig Mazin mentored Bikas (creator of HBO’s Chernobyl. The Last of Us, Hangover 2 and 3) while writer Jeff Stockwell offered advice on script matters along with story editor Ruth Atkinson.
“Signing Bayaan was because I was moved by Bikas-Shiladitya duo’s passion,” Huma Qureshi said
“It’s really exciting when you get together with artists like these people who have deep love for cinema-making.” “It’s rare to find a great script, the most talented crew and their undivided attention to it. They have an incredible energy. I can’t wait for Bayaan!” said Qureshi, who is also know for Anurag Kashyap’s Gangs of Wasseypur and Netflix Original Monica O My Darling.
Bikas Mishra, who won the Grand Jury Prize at Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles in 2015 with his debut feature Chauranga and the Best Indian Feature at Mumbai Film Festival (MAMI) in 2014, added. “I feel humbled by the unconditional support Bayaan has received from Shiladitya and Huma. We have recruited the best actors and technicians so we cannot stop now; we are making a film that will resonate with everyone across continents.”
Producer Shiladitya Bora commented that Bayaan was exactly what his production house aimed at achieving. “As a producer, I’m always looking for that one script that will be a breakout film for everyone involve. What I do is back the vision of my director and give him all influence to make something which takes us places. Huma’s faith in it reestablishes my belief that this project is worth pursuing.”
Earlier Producer Shiladitya Bora has backed films such as Newton (India’s Official Entry to Oscars 2018). Picasso (Prime Video India’s first Marathi direct-to-digital acquisition). The banner Platoon One Films belonging to him is one of India’s leading independent film production houses. While last year’s Berlin Panorama selection Ghaath was produce by them.
Bayaan’s crew is talented and among them are three alumni of Berlinale Talents: the director, producer, and cinematographer. Udit Khurana (Ghaath, Netflix’s Hunt for Veerappan) has bee given the job to shoot. The film, Vinay Vishwakarma (Disney-Hotstar’s Candy) will be responsible for production designing. While Shilpi Agarwal (Prasanna Vithanage’s Paradise, Netflix’s Indian Predator: Murder in a Courtroom) would design costumes. Location sound will be by Amala Popuri (Ghajini, Trial By Fire). The casting team is led by Casting Director Rahul Tanwar. The First AD will be Ashok Sen (Newton, Raazi). Ratan Sil Sarma is Head of Production while Himanshu Malik is Executive Producer.
Also featured in this film are Avijit Dutt (Piku). Shampa Mandal (Sonchiriya, Sherni), Priti Shukla, Vibhor Mayank and Aditi Kanchan Singh.
