Mitra readies Shoonya for release

MUMBAI: Even as his Black Friday finally readies for an India release, producer Arindam Mitra is busy with his directorial venture Shoonya.

The film, starring Nasseruddin Shah, Kay Kay Menon, Tulip Joshi, Seema Biswas, Satish Kaushik and Ninad Kamat had its world premiere at the International Film Festival Rotterdam on 30 January 2007. "On 9 February, Black Friday will release in India and the US, its UK release will follow after a few days. Subsequent to these releases, I will ready Shoonya for its theatrical release," informs Mitra.

"Shoonya is based on the life of a cricket star and his tryst with fame and adulation. I have used the money generating spectrum of sports (cricket in India), in which the conscience ends up a pawn in the hands of outside forces and vested interests," he adds.

Shoonya has been produced by Shahnaab Alam, who had earlier worked as an executive producer on films like Socha Na Tha and Dhoom. Mitra, meanwhile, is geared for the release of Black Friday, which will finally see the light of day at cinemas on 9 February 2007. The film lay unreleased for over three years as it dealt with the sensitive issue of the 1993 riots in Mumbai.

Says Black Friday's director Anurag Kashyap, "During these two years, Mitra and I showcased the film at 40 film festivals. The response at each of these festivals was so phenomenal, that not even once did the ban on its India release dampen my spirits."

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