The filming for Bollywood movie Guiana 1838 will begin on Sunday and according to Farouk Juman, the coordinator, Guyanese actor Henry Rodney will be on the big screen.
Juman told Stabroek News that all equipment for the movie is expected by this weekend and that numerous seamstresses were sewing costumes for the actors.
Guiana 1838 is a love story based on the history of Guyana. "All Guyanese will be better people after they look at the movie," predicted Juman in an interview with Stabroek News. He said along with director Rohit Jagessar he has unearthed tons of historical data that some Guyanese have no idea about so as to make the film as accurate as possible. Jagessar and Juman have reportedly been working on the movie for six years after Jagessar came up with the idea.
Actors are expected in from England before the weekend to make up a contingent of 365 actors. Along with Rodney, another 149 Guyanese actors and actresses will have parts. The movie will incorporate some Hindi in it but only to bring out basic points in the movie. Juman maintained that Guiana 1838 is not an Indian movie and will focus on the abolition of slavery and the arrival of Indians in Guyana during the 19th Century.
Juman along with Jagessar are both Guyanese who live in America. Juman said that they got their actors and actresses from Guyana through an advertisement, which they had placed some months ago. According to him, they had a good feedback and from that they made their decisions. The Guyanese cast is staying in Berbice where they have all their meals and accommodation provided for them. Juman stated that there would be no fixed time for rehearsals. "The cast will work until they are perfect," he said. There will be all sorts of African and Indian music and designers are currently in the process of recreating scenes such as the sugar plantation, the ships in which the indentured labourers arrived in and others. The Number 63 beach is outlined for all of the seaside and waterfronts shootings. Filming could not be done in Georgetown because of the sound and noise. The star of the movie "Guiana 1838", Kumar Gaurav is already in Guyana and he is reportedly enjoying every moment of his stay.
Juman is overwhelmed by the support he was given from the Guyanese community and from President Bharrat Jagdeo. He said that the final touches for the movie will be administered in the US. A ceremony will be held before the filming begins on Sunday at the Number 63 beach. Guiana 1838 is expected to be in theatres by the end of the year.