Out of this World

Bollywood rarely indulges sci-fi fans with a homegrown film. So,there’s much excitement and expectation among young film audiences as director Sanjay Puran Singh of Lahore fame prepares to shoot his yet untitled sci-fi film. “There is no tradition of making original sci-fiction films in India. Usually,they are direct rip-offs of Hollywood or other foreign films,” says Singh,who has roped in John Palmer,a special effects expert from Hollywood. Palmer’s CV includes hits such as Armageddon,Apollo 13 and Deep Impact.

Singh,whose debut feature,Lahore ,fetched two National Awards in 2010,guarantees that his sci-fi venture will maintain an Indian identity. “We have a rich tradition of mythological stories and supernatural objects like vimanas,so I have delved into the Indian oral tradition to base my story,” he says,adding that he hopes to include spacecrafts,docking arms,UFOs and space rovers to create an extraterrestrial experience.

Singh has also packed off the script to Justin R Williams,production secretary in Little Fockers,who is the script consultant for this film. “It is becoming common for Bollywood to hire talent from overseas to verify the film scripts,” adds Singh,who will begin the casting process soon. The shooting will start at the end of March,with a few outdoors planned at the NASA headquarters in Washington DC.