The city of Durban will be the dazzling
backdrop for South Africa’s first-ever Punjabi film production, set to take
place in and around what is fondly known as the country’s ‘playground.’
Currently filming for several weeks, crew
and cast of Zorawar, will take
advantage of the beauty, vibrancy and versatility that Durban and surroundings
has to offer. From the idyllic seaside location of Durban’s Maydon Wharf to the
lush green landscape of Oribi Gorge to the hustle and bustle of the city
centre, filming is said to capture the many visual facets the city of Durban
boasts as a film location.
The Punjabi film, reminiscent of the cultural
province of Punjab located in the north-west of India, which borders Pakistan,
has a star-studded Indian cast, which includes; award-winning Indian rapper Yo
Yo Honey, India MTV’s VJ Gurbani Judge, Indian Television Academy Award winning
actress Achint Kaur and acclaimed veteran actors Pawan Malhotra, Mukul Dev and
Amit Behl.
Packed with drama and intrigue, nail-biting
action and even a bit of romance, Zorawar
tells the tale of the journey of a young Indian soldier in search for the truth
of his South African father and the emotional roller coaster ride he undertakes
in his quest to find answers.
Directed by Vinnil Markan and produced by
Rajiee M Shinde and Rabindra Narayan of India’s White Umbrella Movies, Zorawar’s South African line production
for local filming is produced by Epic Entertainment, a Durban based production
company.
The R3 million local budget will see the
film shoot in over 20 different locations across the breadth of the city. These
locations worked for the script and it also shows off Durban’s beauty, and
landscape,” said South Africa based producer of the film, Rakesh Maharaj of
Epic Entertainment, who is confident that the Punjabi film will add value to
the film destination appeal of the city of Durban. “I believe it will encourage
more film makers from India to shoot in Durban, which is a fairly new location
with the Indian Punjabi film industry.”
Maharaj also firmly believes that the film
will significantly contribute to revenue of the local film industry. From equipment
to props - all services acquired will be sourced from local suppliers, said
Maharaj. In addition, close to 300 local extras will be hired to appear in the
various scenes of the film.
Durban Film Office Head, Toni Monty concurs
with Maharaj that the filming of Zorawar
in Durban demonstrates the uniqueness the city has to offer in terms of iconic
key attractions such as Ushaka Marine World and Moses Mabhida Stadium. “These were
world class locations combined with an awesome lifestyle, weather and culture;”
Monty adds. “This, paired with the cost of crew’s accommodation and local
spend, translates into big spin-offs for the local economy. We hope to see many
more Punjabi films shot in Durban.”
Production of the film is set to conclude
in May, with an Indian and South African release planned shortly thereafter.
Posts
