Cinephiles know Pramod Films for some of the most legendary movies in Bollywood. Under the late Pramod Chakravorty, the banner has delivered hits like Ziddi (1964), Love In Tokyo (1966), Jugnu (1977) and Dream Girl (1977). The production house, which completed its silver jubilee this year, will be making a comeback with the movie From Sydney...With Love, with Pramod Chakravorty’s grandson, Prateek, playing director, producer and actor.
Back story
At 31, Prateek has an MBA in marketing from Sydney’s University of Technology. Reminiscing about his life as a student, Prateek says the movie is not a biography but a reflection of what he experienced in the country. The screenplay sees a Bengali girl from a small town going to Sydney to complete her higher education. Prateek promises a full-on comedy. ‘‘It is about the cultural shock that one gets when he/she comes to another country and then slowly adjusts to the situation and falls in love with the city,’’ says Prateek, whose favourite movies are Jugnu and Love in Tokyo.
The revival
‘‘I want Sydney... to be a movie that will be fresh and pleasantly surprise the audience,’’ says Prateek, adding that he has learnt basic principles from his grandfather, one of them being, ‘‘be true to your job and do not cheat the people who believe in you.’’ Though Prateek is not the typical Bollywood hero with washboard abs, he does not mind sweating it out for future projects. ‘‘But my role in this movie is like me in real life. A fat guy with no girls. That is what my character demands. I believe I am like Kung Fu Panda. I am here to change perceptions and if, after this movie, the fat hero becomes a trend, then nothing like it, ’’ he chuckles.
The movie is scheduled to release on July 27