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Lotus Visual Productions, the banner behind festival circuit film hits, SXSW awardee “Ek Jagah Apni” and Frameline winner “Sheer Qorma,” is pivoting to the mainstream space with “Once Upon a Crime in Borivali.”
The Mumbai-set thriller blending dark comedy with suspense elements follows two young men whose quest for excitement lands them in hot water.
Bombay Berlin Film Productions, known for “Loev”(featured at Tallinn Black Nights, SXSW, BFI Flare and Frameline) boards as creative producer.
Directing the project is Arunansh Bhatt, whose debut “Chamachh” played the festival circuit and racked up over a million views online. Bhatt previously worked on Netflix’s “Sacred Games” and “AK vs. AK.”
Laamba, seen in “Prague” and “Singh is Bliing,” is attached to star. His latest, “Avani,” is being prepped for festivals and distribution.
The script is by Bhatt and Chiranjeevi Bajpai (Amazon’s “Highway Love,” Lionsgate Play’s “Feels Like Home”).
Neeraj Churi, an Indo-British producer and the founder of Lotus Visual Productions, said: “With our new project, we are creating something truly special, blending commercial appeal and a franchise model within a quintessential Mumbai experience. The story is new and unconventional, intertwined with dark comedy, and will keep everyone entertained and on the edge of their seats.”
Laamba added: “It’s a fun ride for all ages, especially for the Gen Z audience, who will strongly resonate with it.”
Bhatt said: “It was a quirky idea to begin with, and I’m thrilled to collaborate on this project with Neeraj, with whom I have a long working relationship, and Arfi, who has been my first choice for the film since before we began writing the script. I couldn’t have asked for a better team.”
Lotus Visual’s credits also include short “Queer Parivar” that won the U.K.’s Iris Prize and was acquired by Channel 4. Another short, “Muhafiz,” their first collaboration with Bombay Berlin, premiered at BFI Flare and won a brace of awards at India’s Kashish LGBTQ+ film festival.
