Mahesh Bhat to make film on racial discrimination against Indians

As harrowing tales of racist attacks on Indian students in Australia continue to pour in, film maker Mahesh Bhat today announced a movie on racial discrimination faced by fellow citizens abroad. The yet to be titled film will be shot in Australia and released next year.

Bhat, who will produce the film to be directed by Mohit Suri, voiced concern over racist assaults on Indians down under and sought effective engagement between the two governments to bring an immediate end to these.

"The problem is very serious and hence the two governments must come forward and act towards bringing an end to these uncivilised attacks," Bhat told reporters.

However, maintaining that religious discrimination was prevalent even within the Indian society, he said, "entire uslim community cannot be put in the dock just because a few of them have indulged in terrorist activities."

Echoing him, Suri said the lead actor of the proposed film, Emraan Hashmi, had himself been a victim of such discrimination recently. He was referring to a complaint by Hashmi that a cooperative housing society had denied him accomodation as he was a Muslim.

Both Bhat and Suri felt that several political parties were using "sensitive issues" to swell their votebank. Suri said he would visit Australia soon to have a first hand account of the victims of racial abuse.

"We are not attempting to demonise or victimise anyone with this film. We are just trying to present the facts as they are," he said. Bhat said it was not for the first time that Indians were facing racial discrimination abroad.

"Mahatma Gandhi was a victim of racial discrimination in South Africa. But that was in the 19th century. It is sad that such prejudices exist even in the 21st century when people like Barack Obama can become the President of the US," he said. The shooting for the film whose story will revolve around Hashmi and two actresses, Indian and an Australian, will begin in November, Suri said.