Indian American filmmaker announces Rs.1.5 bn budget movie

Hyderabad, June 3 (IANS) Nagendra Karri, an Indian American filmmaker whose debut film "Where Are You Sophia" was screened at the recently concluded Cannes Film festival, Wednesday announced his new Rs.150 crore (Rs.1.5 billion) venture "Mobster" to be shot in India.

Karri plans to cast top Hollywood stars in this crime thriller and also re-make the film in Hindi and Telugu.

The 26-year-old filmmaker, who hails from Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, told reporters here that he was in talks with Leonardo di Caprio of "Titanic" fame and Eva Greene, the Bond girl in "Casino Royale" for leading roles in "Mobster".

The filmmaker, who owns Eternal Mind Production LLC in New York, is also keen to partner with an Indian company for this project.

"We plan to collaborate with production companies both in the US and India and some venture capitalists," he said.

Karri, who plans to start shooting the film simultaneously in English and Hindi in July, is also aiming to rope in the big names of Bollywood for this venture.

"My goal is to showcase India to the International film industry by creating movies that has a universal appeal with an Indian touch," Karri said.

"Where Are You Sophia", a psychological thriller, is set to be screened in the US and Europe in September this year.

Karri directed, produced and wrote the 92-minute suspense thriller, which was screened at the Marche du Film Market at the 62nd Cannes Film Festival last month.

Karri, who did his masters in computer science from Oregon State University, said filmmaking was his ultimate passion.

He also announced that he would set apart 20 percent of his earnings for social work and open an orphanage in Mumbai for 200 children.