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Akshay, Deepa to produce period flick
Bollywood star Akshay Kumar and Canada based Indian filmmaker Deepa will jointly produce a new India centric film
'Komagata Maru', in which the actor will play the lead role. To cost up to $35 million, 'Komagata Maru' will be produced
jointly by Hamilton Mehta Productions Inc. in association with Akshay's home production, Hariom Entertainment. "It is a
film of high level government intrigue, duplicity, racism, spying, military engagements, court battles, sedition and
assassination," said a statement released here by Hamilton Mehta Productions.
Komagata Maru was a Japanese ship hired by a Malaysia based wealthy Sikh Gurdit Singh 94 years ago, to bring
Indians into Canada in violation of the then racist laws. The ship, which brought 376 Indians from Hong Kong to
Vancouver in 1914, was not allowed to anchor for two months and sent forcibly back to India, where more than 20
passengers were killed by British India police in then Calcutta.
The film will revisit the brave journey of Indians who wanted a better life in Canada, but were denied entry by the racist
government of the time. "It is a journey of one man's courage that challenged the largest empire in the world. Set in the
year 1914, the film spans two continents. It bares open the heroism of Gurdit Singh, who dared to have an impossible
dream a life of freedom, equality, and dignity," the statement said. |
