Indian Romance 'Weekend' Eyes a Shoot in Russia's Yakutia
An Indian romantic drama could become the first Indian feature shot in Yakutia, a vast region in Russia's Far East also known as the Sakha Republic. Variety reports that producer Vivek Singhania's banner Picture Perfect has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU, a preliminary agreement that sets out shared intent) with Saidam Baryl and Sakhafilm to explore filming Weekend there.
The three-way MoU was signed during the 9th Yakutsk International Film Festival. It is an agreement to explore a shoot, not a confirmed production, so the plans are not final.
Weekend follows Varun and Kaya, two young people whose chance meeting becomes a weekend that changes their lives. The film was first developed around Indian locations. Its producers are now weighing a reworked version that draws on the scenery and culture of Yakutia.
Several places in the region are under consideration. They include Yakutsk, the regional capital, the Lena River, the Lena Pillars and isolated rural villages. The Lena Pillars are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, meaning the United Nations cultural agency has listed them for their outstanding value to the world.
Under the proposed setup, Saidam Baryl and Sakhafilm would act as the film's principal local production partners. Sakhafilm is the state film company of the Sakha Republic, and its general director is Alexey Egorov. Saidam Baryl is headed by Stepan Burnashev, who is also executive director of the Sakha Filmmakers Association.
The talks began earlier this year, according to the same report. Singhania and Burnashev started speaking, and Picture Perfect sent a formal letter of interest in June. Singhania is the producer and founder of Picture Perfect.
For a film made for Indian audiences, a location in the Russian Far East is a big change of setting. The reworked story would have to keep the romance at its centre while using a landscape far from the original shoot plans. Any move from talks to filming would turn an exploratory agreement into a production schedule, and that step has not yet been announced.
