Serendipity Films, one of the most pioneering film production companies to emerge from India in recent times, is proud to introduce its forthcoming film project at Cannes Film Festival 2009. Already much hyped on the international film circuit, Teen Patti will be introduced by Serendipity Films to this year’s gathering of the key players from the global film industry, cineastes and media alike.
The second film to emerge from the forward-thinking and futuristic Serendipity stable, Teen Patti is an extraordinary example of the finest in mainstream and Indian talent being united ‘on screen’, as respective acting heavyweights – godfather of the Indian film industry Amitabh Bachchan and Academy Award winner Ben Kingsley – come together in a cinematic tour de force that is sure to win the praise of both critics and aficionados of independent Indian cinema alike.
Much of the dialogue thus far on the mainstream amalgamating with Indian cinema has been ‘behind the scenes’ such as joint ventures and exploring opportunities to create crossover films. However, Teen Patti celebrates the front of camera synergy between the artists themselves. Set in both India and England, Teen Patti is an emotionally riveting and razor sharp thriller about greed, deception and giant feats of the imagination. Relayed against the backdrop of modern India, Teen Patti is one of the most fascinating new films to emerge from Asia.
Comments Ambika Hinduja, “We are extremely excited about introducing Teen Patti at Cannes, a film for the global audience. Serendipity Films combines the collaborative genius forces from India and abroad to make films that engage not only the international imagination but also the deep core of our shared humanity. Most Indian film production houses make films that appeal to an Indian audience. However, through Serendipity Films, our vision is to make films that appeal not only to an Indian audience but also to the global audiences.”
The story of Teen Patti is about Perci Trachtenberg (Ben Kingsley), widely regarded as the world’s greatest living mathematician, meets Venkat Subramaniam (Amitabh Bachchan), a reclusive math genius from India, who has cracked a theory that could redefine the principles of probability and randomness.
Aware that he is on the precipice of an extraordinary discovery, one that could find applications across various sciences, Venkat is encouraged to test his theory in the real world. But what starts out as an experiment between a charismatic young professor and an eccentric older one soon descends into a game neither of them can control.
Convinced that Venkat’s discovery has the originality and significance to change the narrative arc of mathematics, Perci understands that Venkat’s theory, in essence, questions the idea of what is random and what is fated. A surprising and deeply moving redemption, initiated by Perci, closes this stupendously modern film that is as much about the private equations of honour and chance, as it is about knowledge that can change the world.
Serendipity Films was launched in 2003 by Ambika Hinduja, who upholds a commitment to making quality, avant-garde and popular global cinema for international audiences. By leveraging the Indian infrastructure and amalgamating both Indian and international talent and resources, Ambika is committed to making truly international cinema examining themes such as guilt and glamour, identity and displacement, deception and truth.
While the idea of independent cinema was still nascent in India, Ambika produced Being Cyrus, a film noir that examined the themes of greed and identity, with critically acclaimed performances by Saif Ali Khan, Naseeruddin Shah and Dimple Kapadia. This debut feature film was an art house hit that won numerous awards, and remained a firm favourite on the international film festival circuit. Teen Patti marks the already hyped follow-up to Serendipity’s debut feature, and is sure to create a stir at this year’s prestigious Cannes Film Festival.
