By Nicole Sperling
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - A week before the launch of the Toronto International Film Festival, Fox Searchlight Pictures has acquired the opening-night world premiere, writer-director Deepa Mehta’s "Water."
Set in 1938 Colonial India during Mahatma Gandhi’s rise to power, "Water" has been embroiled in controversy since its inception. The film was shut down in India in 2000 because of its negative portrayal of the country. The production faced violent protests and riots by fundamentalist Hindus, and Mehta’s life was threatened. It took nearly five years for the Indian filmmaker to produce in Sri Lanka under an assumed name and a shroud of secrecy.
"To make ’Water’ was akin to climbing Mount Everest -- a hard journey," said Mehta, a Canadian resident.
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The story centers on an 8-year-old girl who is widowed and sent to a home where Hindu widows must live in penitence. The film stars Lisa Ray (Mehta’s "Bollywood/Hollywood"), Seema Biswas ("Bandit Queen") and Bollywood idol John Abraham. The 8-year-old is played by Sarala, a Sri Lankan with no previous acting experience.
The film marks the third project in Mehta’s elemental trilogy, which includes "Fire" and "Earth."
The 30th annual Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 8 to September 17.
Reuters/Hollywood Reporter
