Sayani Gupta set to make US feature film debut with Neil Tuli's 'Arya'
Mumbai, August 10
Actor Sayani Gupta is all set to make her US feature film debut with 'Arya', reported Deadline.
Sayani Gupta, who is known for her work across 'Axone', 'Four More Shots Please!', 'Margarita with a Straw', with feature in the lead role as Arya Sinha in the film.
Written and directed by Neil Tuli, the film focuses on Arya's clash with her chaotic new environment, forcing her to let go of control, confront her hidden insecurities, and embrace a new vision of success.
"She is a disciplined piano teacher from a prestigious Indian conservatory, who reluctantly takes an assignment in northern Minnesota, hoping to rescue a struggling band program, as well as fuel her career ambitions back home," states the official synopsis, as per Deadline.
Tuli, who is making a feature directorial debut with 'Arya', has held strategy roles at both Netflix and Illumination.
The film is also produced under his banner American Haathi, alongside Pallavi & Keertana Sastry (Land of Gold) from Adda G Productions.
Sayani Gupta also serves as the executive producer on the indie feature film.
The actor found had her breakout role in Shonali Bose's 'Margarita with a Straw', where she portrayed a blind Pakistani-Bangladeshi queer student activist.
The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2014. She was also seen in 'Parched' and 'The Hungry', which also premiered at TIFF. Among other accolades, she was also nominated for an International Indian Film Academy award for her role in 'Article 15'.
The film is currently streaming on Netflix.
On the work front, Sayani Gupta was recently seen in filmmaker Sheetal Menon's directorial 'Duet', starring Sidhant Gupta in the lead.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Sayani is one of those actors who picks scripts that have substance. 'Margarita with a Straw' was so brave, and 'Article 15' was hard-hitting. 'Arya' seems to have a nice mix of culture clash and personal growth. Wishing her all the best!
Interesting to see Neil Tuli move from Netflix strategy to directing. Indian-origin creators are making waves globally. The setting in northern Minnesota sounds unique—not the typical New York/California story. This could be a quiet, character-driven film.
Sayani's journey is inspiring—from small indie films to leading a feature in the US. Her role in 'Four More Shots' might have made her popular, but her indie work shows real range. Hope this movie gets a good release here too.
I’m excited to see more South Asian stories told on a global stage. As an NRI, I can relate to the theme of adjusting to a new environment and redefining success. Love that she’s an EP too—women producers are needed behind the camera!
Finally a film that might show a nuanced immigrant experience instead of the usual stereotypes. The "chaotic environment" and "hidden insecurities" part suggests real depth. Sayani is a great choice—she brings authenticity to every role.
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