In 2014, the West African nation of Togo sent an Indian film, Tara: The Journey of Love and Passion , as its official selection to be considered in the Academy Awards’ Best Foreign Film category.

Then again in 2016, another African country, Cameroon, submitted its first-ever entry, Yahan Ameena Bikti Hai , to the Academy Awards, to be considered in the same category. Neither film made it to the final list of nominations, but that hasn’t stopped producer Kumar Raj from soldiering on in his quest.

The filmmaker has now turned his focus to Hollywood with a film on Mother Teresa.

And he will leave no stone unturned to get the Oscar that has eluded him twice in the past.

“We have registered our company ‘Kumar Raj Productions’ in Hollywood; the title and the script have also been registered,” says Raj in an exclusive chat with The Hindu . “This will be a mega-budget film, and will take three to four years’ time for completion. We have hired one of the topmost writers of Hollywood, and have also started getting funds.” So far, $200,000 has been raised for the film, which is expected to cross a production budget of over Rs. 100 crore.

Speaking about his next big film venture, the director explains, “I am still working on what part of Mother Teresa’s life to focus on. It may be the part where she meets God, or her childhood. I want to explore a new angle for the global audience. The film will stand with others in the topmost competition category.”

His latest film, Yahan Ameena Bikti Hai , is based on the life of a 12-year-old girl from Hyderabad with the same name. She was sold to an Arab by her parents in the early 1990s.

Ameena was rescued and brought home after a flight attendant, who saw her weeping on the plane, raised an alert.

After receiving global accolades in the Malta International Film Festival, Cinema New York City, Miami Film Festival and Geneva, the film will have a nationwide release by the end of the year. “For the Indian version, I am shooting additional scenes and adding a love story element,” concludes Kumar.

(Source: The Hindu)