BOLLYWOOD actor Kumar Gaurav arrived yesterday morning with his entourage for a seven-week stay during which he will do the local shoot for the movie, "Guiana 1838 - Someday I'll see you again".
Causally clad in blue jeans and grey jersey and his matching grey jacket in hand the Bollywood Star stepped off of Universal Airlines flight UW101 at 6:30 a.m. yesterday onto Guyana's soil for the first time following a line of other Bollywood celebrities including Anil Kapoor and Amitach Batchan.
His mission is however a bit more unique and his stay much longer than his predecessors and many fans will be privileged to meet, interact and even rub shoulders with the movie star.
Gaurav met with members of the media in the VIP Waiting Lounge of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport Timehri and in spite of a long twenty three hour flight from India to Guyana with a brief stop at the John F Kennedy Airport in the United States he remained upbeat throughout the briefing and even took time out for one on one with the members of the media and to take out pictures with them.
He related to the press that he heard about Guyana and is glad to be here to experience the beauty of the country for himself.
According to Gaurav who is in his early 40's, while flying over Guyana he was deeply impressed by the scenic beauty and lush forest and is anxious to explore Guyana for himself, he also confided that he hopes that his busy schedule will afford him the opportunity to visit the resorts and the majestic Kaieteur Falls.
The 5 feet 10 inches star blamed part of his excitement on the fact that a large portion of his 'fan-mails' is from Guyana and with renewed interest being stirred through his presence and the filming in Guyana he is ready for a surge of new as well as old 'fan-mails' flooding his mailbox.
His message to his Guyanese fans "We are back at our place - Guyana"
Gaurav who hails from Bombay stated that filming in Guyana will take him down history to know how Indians came here and for him it is one great adventure.
In response to a question on the death of his father veteran actor and producer, the late Rajendra Kumar who passed away two years ago, he replied, "My father was my guide, there is still a void, but it is a part of life and I have to go on."
Main organizer, US based Guyanese movie director, Rohit Jagessar owner of RBC Radio/Moha Vira described the 'movie-in-the-making' as a "Great challenge and a film with International flavour"
He added that when they met in New York he was confident that Gaurav was the sure way to go and is now even more confident that this with the actor's ability, it would be a big hit.
While the locals are not having any leading roles, they are having very good roles, Mr. Rohit Jagessar of RBC Radio and Moha Vira noted.
Some one hundred and fifty locals and sixty foreigners including nine Indian film stars out of New York and seventeen British actors will be featured in the filming here.
Gaurav's co-star who hails from India Aarti Bathija arrived in Guyana with an advanced team.
In response to a query on the budget he simply said that the filming is privately funded by his company and they are spending as they go along.
After the briefing Gaurav and his entourage had a police escort into the city where he met briefly with President Bharrat Jagdeo in State House who welcomed him and his team to Guyana.
Kumar Gaurav plays the role of Laxman, representing one of many Indentured Labourers travelling on one of the first ships entering this country (then British Guiana) in 1838.
The Bollywood star who is yet to be married and the father of two daughters Saachi and Siya and he is known for the romantic leads he played in Indian movies in the 80's, with 'Love Story' propelling into world fame.
He also acted in Teri Kasam, and more recently, the action flick Kaante, which played well at the box office.
Several locations in Berbice have been selected for the shoot from Numbers 60-66 Villages, Corentyne to recreate the setting.
Preliminary shooting for the film has already taken place in Calcutta, India, one of the main areas from which the indentured labourers were contracted to work on the sugar plantations of British Guiana after the abolition of slavery.
Actual shooting will begin March 21st and run until the end of April.