Life of Pi : Hollywood Movie with Indian Stars

This year  International Film Festival of India, Goa, will open on November 20, with the world premiere of  much awaited film ‘Life of Pi’ and the film’s worldwide theatrical release is slated for November 23.

Today at PVR Juhu, Fox and IFFI jointly arranged a press conference and sneak preview of 'Life of Pi'.   It's Academy Award Winning Director Ang Lee specially flown from Hollywood for the event. 

  Ang Lee is the man behind some of the most prestigious and acclaimed films such as 'Sense and Sensibility' (1995),  'Crouching Tiger', 'Hidden Dragon' (2000), 'Hulk' (2003) and 'Brokeback Mountain('2005).  His latest film, Life of Pi, besides providing a global platform for Indian artistes, also explores some of the scenic spots in India, including the countryside of Munnar and the French elegance of Pondicherry. The main character Piscine Molitor Patel (Pi)  is played by Suraj Sharma. Suraj alongwith the other important Indian Star cast Tabu, Irfan Khan were also present  at the sneak preview.Another important fact is that most of the digital effects, animations in the movie are done in India.

 During his interaction with the  media,  Ang Lee admitted that experiments like his, are helping change the stereotype perceptions about Indians and the Asians in mainstream Hollywood. It is no surprising that many Hollywood Studios and independent producers are either in the making or planning to make movies with India centric subjects. The reason is very simple, they look India as an expanding market for their movies.

 Life of Pi’ which is based on an adapted screenplay of a novel by the same name by Yann Martel, is a 3D adventure film telling the story of a 16 year old Piscine Molitor Patel (Pi) of Pondicherry, who survives a shipwreck along with animals like an orangutan, a zebra, a hyena and a Royal Bengal Tiger. The film explores the issues of spirituality, religion and life as a whole.

Tabu shared her own experience of working with Ang Lee, and  said it was some thing great. But admitted that her roti dal still comes from typical masala south movies. Ravishing in red dress, Tabu was defying her age.

Vijay Singh is CEO, Fox Star Studio in India, the studio which have produced the movie. Elobrating more about the movie, he said that the film promotes breathtaking locales of India and transcends boundaries with its universal appeal.

On the occasion,  Festival Director, IFFI 2012  Shankar Mohan said “it is a great joy to open the festival with a much awaited movie of a world renowned Director  and its India centric theme adds great significance, when we are commemorating the ‘hundred years of Indian Cinema’.”  He announced that the cast and crew of ‘Life of Pi’ would be in Goa to present the film, before the delegates coming from across the world.

  

The 43^rd IFFI 2012 will be held in Goa from November 20 – 30, 2012, providing an opportunity for film lovers to watch, appreciate and learn from a cross section of film entries in the Indian Panorama, World Cinema, Retrospectives, Documentaries, Master Classes etc.

As part of 100 Years of Indian Cinema, a special Centenary Award will be given away during IFFI 2012, which will be decided by an independent jury.  Eminent Polish film maker Krzysztof Zanussi, will be conferred the Life Time Achievement Award.

Photo & words Copyright pradeep gupta

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