After spending over two decades as an entertainment journalist, Neeru Sharma has now ventured into filmmaking. The official promo of her debut film Bandra Boy was released recently.
Produced by Rajeev Parashar, Bandra Boy is billed as a thriller that draws upon the journalist-filmmaker’s years of observing the film industry, media culture and the power of public perception. The film follows a gripping chain of events in which media coverage, authority and public opinion collectively shape an individual's image in today’s digital age, forcing viewers to question how easily narratives can overpower facts and exploring the complex relationship between media, authority and social judgment, asking what happens when perception begins to outweigh reality, and tackling themes of misinformation, prejudice and media influence.
The film stars Ahwaan Kumar, known for his work across music videos, Television and digital platforms, in the lead role. Acclaimed Gujarati and Marathi actor Dharmendra Gohil plays a pivotal role, while Lochan Barsagade, Yash Pednekar, Sham Thombare, Pawan Tiwari, Aishwarya Manohar, Himanshi Mandalia and Nandini Sharma complete the ensemble cast.
Speaking about her transition into filmmaking, Neeru Sharma, who completed a Direction course at Whistling Woods International, said “After spending years documenting the journeys of filmmakers and reporting on cinema, I felt it was time to tell stories from my own perspective. My experience as an entertainment journalist, combined with filmmaking training, has shaped the creative vision behind Bandra Boy.”
Neeru has also penned script for the film. In the technical team, Bandra Boy has editor Sandeep Kurup (known for Mubarakan, Sadak 2 and Crakk), cinematographor Aayush Shah. Kaushal Mahavir, meanwhile, has composed the background score.
Bandra Boy, which has already begun its festival journey, will release in Hindi,Telugu & Kannada.