MUMBAI: In their bid to explore the Indian market with the help of an Indian American talent manager in Hollywood, three Hollywood films are set to be shot in India shortly.
"The process of selecting India as a location has been easy," says Jai Khanna, manager at Brillstein Entertainment Partners (BEP), a top Hollywood talent management film and television production company.

"The key is finding the right partners, those with the right sensibility, in order to navigate the landscape and politics of India, as well as appeal to an American crew and cast," Khanna adds.

The first film Hope Lost is aimed for a summer shoot in Mumbai. Based on the hit comic book series by Jeff Albert, the film is an action-thriller about the battle between good versus evil with themes of the Ramayana. To be produced by Marlon Parry, the film will be directed by Rajeev Virani.

River of Gods, based on a novel by Ian McDonald that won the British Science Fiction Award in 2004, shows a futuristic India inhabited by ancient traditions as well as artificial intelligence, robots and nanotechnology. To be produced by Anthony Dorment and Susan Cherian, it is aimed for a fall shoot.

The third film Last Bachelor, an international romantic comedy set in Rajasthan and Goa, is being produced by Britain-based Lux Entertainment.

"India has been viewed as an exotic location for actors, and not immediately thought of as a film location. If we can marry the two experiences, of exploring the wonders of India, and working in a professional manner, we hope for more productions to enter India," Khanna says.