Short Synopsis:

Mike, a film student at Hudson University, is sent to Bombay India against his wishes to assist a graduate student, Rahul, in the making of a Bollywood movie. Mike's aversion to India is only reinforced as he struggles to adapt to Bollywood conventions, and inadvertently makes an enemy of Rahul's best friend and leading actress, Preeti. But the magic of Bollywood ultimately begins to win him over, as he finds himself falling in love with Preeti, and becoming absorbed in his work on the film. However, when Rahul's parents return with unexpected news of an arranged marriage between Rahul and Preeti, Mike's new world is threatened. Will he be able to follow his heart, and fulfill his romantic Bollywood dream, or will the cultural traditions of India deny Mike the very visions he conjured from its popular culture?

As Mike becomes enchanted by the allure of Bollywood, the film too begins to adopt the stylistic nuances of Indian popular film. What starts in the form of a 'conventional' American independent film evolves into a full fledged Bollywood spectacular, complete with songs and dances. Mike's journey can be seen as a commentary on the socio-cultural role of film in India. Bollywood is a powerful and complex force; it has captivated billions of people across the globe, but in reality, as Mike finds out, it may be nothing more than a system of illusions.

Introduction:

The Bombay Project is written by Dwight Schultz and directed and produced by David Kahn. David and Dwight are college seniors, and created The Bombay Project as a joint honors thesis project for Connecticut College and Syracuse University . The project is intended for educational purposes, and was released directly to DVD upon completion in May 2006. This project was done under the advisement of professors David Tetzlaff ( Connecticut ) and Tula Goenka ( Syracuse ), however the film is fully student funded and produced. The Bombay Project was shot on location in Mumbai India between December 22, 2005 and January 12, 2006.

Getting Started:

“This project is something that Dwight and I have always dreamed of doing” says producer and director David Kahn, “We decided that senior year would be the best opportunity to make this film.” And thus it began. “I've spent my entire summer writing, and re-writing” says Dwight Schultz, “we've gone through about six complete drafts, and myself, Dave, and our advisors are finally happy with the product.” This is Schultz' first feature film screenplay. Kahn states, “What we have here is something truly unique, a story that's never been done before… It's ambitious, but we've got the motivation and are committed to making it a success.” The Bombay Project aims to be a unique cross-cultural film, bridging together East and West in a way that can be appreciated by all.

The Heart of the Story:

The Bombay Project follows protagonist Mike through his adventures in Bombay . As Mike becomes enchanted by allure of Bollywood, the film too begins to adopt the stylistic nuances of the prolific Indian film industry. What starts as a ‘conventional' independent film evolves into a full fledged Bollywood spectacular, complete with songs and dances. However Mike's journey can be seen as a commentary on the socio-cultural role of film in India . Bollywood is a powerful and complex force; it has captivated billions of people across the globe, but in reality, as Mike finds out, it is nothing more than a system of illusions.

Mumbai , India :

The Bombay Project was shot on location in Mumbai , India . Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay ) is the capital city of the Indian state Maharashtra, as well as the financial and cosmopolitan center of India . Mumbai is also home to India 's most prolific film industry, producing Hindi language films, commonly known as Bollywood. India boasts the largest film Industry in the world, and the films of Bombay circulate to all corners of the globe. “We choose to set this film in Bombay because it's a city with a deep rooted film culture and history” says Kahn, who has visited the city four times, and spent one semester living in India . “It's also a really happening city, and will provide a great backdrop for this contemporary story”.

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