By Lalit K JhaWashington, Jan 1 (PTI) Patna-born Prabhakar Sharan hasbecome a rising star in the Latin American film industry withhis first Spanish movie "Enredados: la confusion" (Entangled:The Confusion), becoming one of the most popular films of theyear in Costa Rica.
Said to be the first Latin American film made in typicalBollywood style of songs and dance, it was shot in CostaRica, Mumbai and Panama.
Prabhakar, who plays the lead role opposite Nancy Dobles,a popular Costa Rican television hostess, plans to release hisdream project in English, Hindi and Bhojpuri as "Ek Chor, DoMastikhor" in March-April.
Ex-world wrestling champion and Hollywood actor, ScottSteiner plays a lead role in the movie, which has beenproduced by Costa Rica-based Pacific Investment Corporation.
The supporting cast includes local actors Mario Chaconand José Castro in the film. Panamanians, Colombians andArgentines have also collaborated on the project.
Released in February last year, and distributed byCinepolis in six countries Costa Rica, Panama, Nicaragua,Honduras, Guatemala and San Salvador, the movie registered boxoffice success.
Cinepolis is now planning to release the movie in morethan a dozen Latin America countries in March or April thisyear and also in the US.
"Khiladi 786" fame Ashish Mohan initially directed themovie. However, Prabhakar himself ended up directing the movieafter he and Mohan parted ways following differences.
"It is a film that bonds the two communities (Indian andLatins) together," Prabhakar said in an interview.
Jose Castro, film commissioner Costa Rica said it was forthe first time that a Costa Rican cinema had such kind ofproduction and entertainment.
"This movie is not a just a movie for theatre it hasbecome a milestone to Latin movie industry for the newdifference and changes by its style," Prabhakar told PTI.
But the journey to making the movie has not been easy.
Prabhakar landed in Costa Rica as a student for studiesat Universidad Panamericana in 2000. After completing hisstudies, he started a chain of Indian clothing andrestaurants.
By 2006, he started bringing Bollywood movies to CostaRican theatres and Monster Truck shows from the US.
"My company was the first to bring Bollywood moviescommercially to Central America," he said.
However, his endeavour in business was not successful.
He moved back to India between 2010 and 2013, duringwhich he divorced from his wife.
With nothing working for him in India, Prabhakar decidedto move back to Costa Rica in 2014 and revive his passion ofmaking the first Bollywood movie in Latin America where he metTeresa Rodriguez Cerdas, a university owner, educationist andphilanthropist.
"She took my dream as her own and helped me generate asum of USD 1.5 million for the movie," he said.
He is a successful businessman now but cinema remains hispassion. His next project is "Borders without Life", aboutpeople who risk their lives to come to the US illegally.
Prabhakar's parents – Prabhunath Sharan and SubhadraPrasad – are retired bankers from Motihari.
He was born in Patna and did his schooling from Bhurkundaand Ramnagar which is now in Jharkhand. He went to Rohtak forhis college education and moved to Costa Rica to complete hisstudies.
Top Indian diplomats stationed in Latin America havepraised Prabhakar for his effort in promoting Indian films.
"The movie is a proud step which will create the landmarkin the Latin cinema industry, it promotes our culture and it'sa fusion of Indian and Latin cinema...," said SandeepChakravorty, the former Indian Ambassador to Peru and theConsulate General of India in New York.
"Prabhakar Sharan is the flower of my garden and he hastaken the first step to open a big market in Latin America forBollywood. The movie entertains local community in our bigBollywood style," said Shamma Jain, Ambassador of India forCosta Rica, Panama, Nicaragua.
"Very entertaining and a big step for the two culturesand the two industries. 'Enredados: la Confusion' is just nota movie, it's the first step where we can see the localcommunity enjoying Bollywood culture," said Sandeep BabuKurup, Ambassador of India to Guatemala.
According to Mariela Cruz, Ambassador of Costa Rica toIndia, the film is an important initiative because of itsfusion of two cultures.
"As an ambassador of Costa Rica to India, I am very proudof this great effort that will serve as a platform to enhancethe beauty of our country and to make known in other latitudesthe first Bollywood-style film produced in Costa Rica for allof Latin America," he said. PTI LKJBK.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.