The first ever, Himachali commercial feature film ‘Saanjh’ is all set to be screened pan-India in theatres on April 14. The film director, producer, cast and crew released the poster and trailer of the film in Shimla.
Talking to mediapersons, producer and director of the film Ajay Saklani who hails from Mandi district in Himachal Pradesh said, “The film has already been screened at several American film festivals. The film has bagged Best Feature at the Borrego Springs Film Festival 2017 and award of merit at the Accolade Global Film Competition in California, USA. We are hoping that our film earns appreciation in our country as well.”
Shot in the Kullu valley, the idea of coming up with a Himachali film is to promote the state’s rich culture and also to take to the masses the local dialect through cinema, he said.
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HP having been a favourite destination for Bollywood film producers, however, local films have never been given due respect and much needed support, he added.
added that the film in HP theatres will be in local dialect, while outside the state it will be dubbed in Hindi.
Dedicated to grandmother and grand daughter relationship, the film revolves around a young city dweller, Sanju who is forced to move in with her grandmother in a rural village following her implication in the social media scandal.
The bonding between the duo evolves, rebuilding inter-generational relationships, he said.
Saanjh’s has predominantly Himachali cast and crew that include lead actress Aditi Charka, who hails from district Chamba, lead actor Vishal Parpagga from Mandi and Rupeshwari Sharma, also from Mandi, who plays Sanju’s grandmother.
Besides, the film has two Bollywood actors, star Asif Basra portraying Sanju’s father and Taranjit Kaur, of Aankhon Dekhi fame, playing the role of her mother.
Celebrated Bollywood playback singer Mohit Chauhan, has lent his voice to two of the songs, while the soundtrack is by Gaurav Guleria from Dharamshala.
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