Steininger will serve as editor and co-writer. The film will be distributed in ANZ and UK by Forum Films. International Sales is being negotiated leading up to Cannes.
Produced by Sharma, Claire Haywood (Territory Cops, Pink House) and Deepti Sachdeva (The Run), the feature documentary was shot across many years and locations including Australia, India, France, UK and Switzerland. Throwing a spotlight on the flamboyant world of Indian cinema, Bollywood Downunder provides a comprehensive look at the glorious traditions of Indian cinema and its ‘bollywoodisation’ and globalization through Bollywood’s love affair with Australia.
The list of people interviewed reads like a who’s who of Bollywood and Australia including stars Anupam Kher (Hotel Mumbai, Bend It Like Beckham, The Big Sick, New Amsterdam), Farhan Akhtar (Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara), Fardeen Khan (Prem Aggan, Janasheen, Heyy Babyy) and Harman Baweja (Love Story 2050) alongside former Premier of Victoria Ted Baillieu and former Premier of South Australia Mike Rann among many other Australian film executives and crew.
Producer/director Sharma said: “Having been part of and participant in the birth and growth of Bollywood in Australia with all kinds of experiences in my 20-year roller coaster, I have an engaging story to tell, but it is not my story. In true Bollywood style of grandeur, colour, and music the film explores the successes and failures of Bollywood’s rise as a serious subculture in Australia and around the world.
“Karin coming on board as the editor and co-writer is crucial for our film which has a target audience of non-Indians. Over the years I have been saturated with all kinds of reactions to Indian cinema and Bollywood, something which is very close to my heart and part of my DNA. We are so lucky to have Karin with us to sculpt our vision of this project.”
Steininger said: “I am delighted to come on board as editor and co-writer on Bollywood Downunder. We’ll go behind the scenes of some of the biggest Indian movies shot on our shores and explore bust-ups and misunderstandings of a love affair that turned sour. As a non-Indian I know next to nothing about Indian culture and what I love about this project is it is an opportunity to know more, to fall in love with Indian filmmaking, to understand the stories, and characters, and why there are so many song and dance routines in Bollywood movies. This film opens a window into a very rich and fascinating world.”
Best known for her work on Oscar and Emmy-winning documentary Anne Frank Remembered, Steininger is a highly creative multi award-winning documentary and drama editor with strong story telling skills and experience in crafting films with a rich visual aesthetic. Steininger has multiple credits on international networks such as Discovery and History in the US, the BBC and C4 in The UK, and the ABC and SBS in Australia.
Bollywood Downunder is the first of four films rolling out of TEMPLE post-Covid, with the production company ramping up its development slate with investment from Screen Australia, Screen NSW, SBS, and private investment from USA, UK, India and Australia. TEMPLE’s future projects include feature documentary FRAMED (developed with assistance from Screen Australia and SBS TV), Melbourne-based thriller Honour, Bill Bennett’s Defiant (developed with assistance from Screen Australia and Screen NSW) and Sereen Omran’s Unveil. Temple has also optioned Go Khurana Go written by Nimish Tana set to be the first Australia/NZ/India co-production utilising the NZ/India co-production treaty.
For more information on Bollywood Downunder visit www.bollywooddownunder.com.au
