Priyanka-backed Sikkim's film trailer is shown in Cannes

New Delhi, May 11:Actor Priyanka Chopra's Sikkims Production "Poona" will feature the trailer in the upcoming edition of Cannes Film Festival. Trivela said.The prestigious Gala will begin from May 17th, and Bollywood actresses Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Sonam Kapoor and Deepika Padukone, India's venue "Pahuna" will be represented on the stage.

The Pakistani did not reveal much about the French Riviera tour, but IANS on the phone said: "This trailer is in Cannes this year."

Talking about the "Mary Kom" star and her mother Madhu's involvement in the project, the debutante director said: "When Priyanka got on board, things got very easy. The Sikkim government is almost like a co-producer of the film. The project started from March 2016. Priyanka got on board in December.

"She came to India and met me. Soon, the film's recce began and we started shooting in March. Priyanka as a producer is extremely supportive. She has a vision and sees the world very differently from most of the producers I've seen."

She said for Priyanka, who is supporting the film through her and her mother's banner Purple Pebble Pictures, it's not only about money.

"She is financially very sound, especially her mother. They know their numbers and still have a vision. 'Pahuna' doesn't have a regional market. They saw it as world cinema. So, it feels good to have somebody by my side who exactly understands it."

Priyanka often flies in and out of India due to her commitment to the American TV series "Quantico", apart from Hollywood film "Baywatch", which is ready to hit the screens on June 2.

But apart from acting in international and Bollywood projects, she also manages to take out time to produce regional films. In fact, she also made an appearance in her debut Marathi production venture "Ventilator".

Will she do the same in "Pahuna"? "No," said Paakhi.

Any known faces in the film?

"It has local talent -- Amol Subba and Ishika Gurung," said the director, based in Mumbai.

Since she stays miles away from the northeast state, how did it strike her to make a movie based on it?

"I was in Sikkim 13 years ago. I was an Art of Living teacher. I fell in love with the state. Then the story came to me," she said.

"The whole idea was not the lack of competition, but the fact that we will be the first feature film there. There have been (Sikkimese) films, but they have been more like home videos. There's no film industry as such.

"The idea was to start a film industry in Sikkim. A lot of people don't even know that it is a part of India. They think one needs a passport to go there. I believe stories bring people together."

Didn't language pose a problem for her?

"I don't know the language that well. I had a local boy, Bishwas. He helped me with the dialogues in Nepali and Sikkimese," said the wife of director Abbas Tyrewala, to whom she gives full credit for encouraging her to make the film.

"Whenever I would say 'I can't do it', he would say 'You have the passion. Hold on to it'."

She also got help from the Children's Film Society, India (CFSI).

"Had it been just CFSI, it would have been just a regional film. 'Pahuna', which means a visitor, is an international film. It's a big story in a small area," she said about the movie which will premiere in Sikkim in October.

Is it a children's film?

"It can be viewed by children, but it's not a children's film. It's about children. When you say a children's film, you see it as a simplistic film or just an entertaining film.

"We are dealing with issues like gender bias, idea of currency... Money is money, but there is a currency divide, impact of older people on children, our fear of the unknown."

Last month, the parliamentary panel's recommendations were approved by President, National Film Development Corporation dubbed regional or regional films in regional movies. Does she look at a good move?

"I think it's a good thing to increase the regional film market, see amazon, doing it well, I want to be subtitles, but most people watch a movie.

"I take it (regional film) to every state and dub it accordingly."