Mira Nair to start a film series on HIV

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Mira Nair goes Dhinchak

The filmmaker plans to start a film series on HIV

Kunal M Shah

Filmmaker Mira Nair's visits to India always have an ulterior

motive. This time, her fleeting visit to the city was dedicated to

the Dhinchak series of films dealing with HIV that she plans to

start shortly. The visit bore positive results. She has confirmed

directors Vishal Bharadwaj, Santosh Sivan and Kamal Hassan to make

these films.

One of the films from the sequence to be made by her will be

scripted by Zoya Akhtar. She has also approached top stars, names of

who she would rather not divulge now. But the rate at which Nair is

going, work will commence by August.

" The films will be 12 minutes long with a message. The basic idea

was to sensitise people towards AIDS and increase awareness too, "

she says.

Over and above this, Nair is excited about the film she plans to

make on the Beatles at the time they were in Hrishikesh. " Not many

people are aware that they wrote 48 of their classic songs when they

were in Hrishikesh, including White Album, " says Nair.

While the future looks promising, she has her hands full at the

present, with the release of her film on Jhumpa Lahiri's book

Namesake, which is being produced by Ronnie Screwvala of UTV. " Mira

and I have been wanting to make a film together for some time now.

It just took 60 days for everything to fall in place, " says

Screwvala. " This is our first co-production with the West. "

Nair says that she has taken no liberties with the film. " When

Jhumpa saw the film, she sobbed for five minutes and said this is so

pure, " says Nair.

Not to forget her Hollywood remake of Munnabhai MBBS called Gangsta

AD. " The script is almost ready and we are looking at starting the

film in January 2007. Tucker will be playing the main

character in the film, " says Nair. " He is currently shooting for

Rush Hour 3 and we will start after he finishes the film. I am also

looking to cast an Indian girl and am open to a couple of actors

from the original film. Everything is moving so fast...it's faster

than I can handle. "

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