Fresh from receiving an energetic response from an enthusiastic film festival audience worldwide, including Los Angeles, Houston, Cannes, London and Birmingham, the lead stars of The Black Prince,have been invited by the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA),an exuberant celebration of Indian films, music, fashion and dance,to preview the award winning international biopic on the last King of Punjab - Maharajah Duleep Singh, at the NEXA IIFA Awards Powered by VIVOtaking place on Saturday15th July, at the Metlife Museum, New York.
Produced by Brillstein Entertainment Partners (12 years A Slave), The Black Prince traces a pivotal piece of Sikh historycapturing the tragic yet fascinating true story andlegacy of Maharajah Duleep Singh. The film provides a visual narrative of one of India’s most noble kings and his fragile relationship with Queen Victoria, who was godmother to his children.
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Attending the star-studded event will be acting stalwart Shabana Azmi, who plays the role of Rani Jindan, the exiled King’s mother; and singer-poet Satinder Sartaaj, who marks his acting debut in and as The Black Prince. The duo will share an exclusive preview of the film with the august gathering during the coveted awards ceremony. They will be joined in New York by the film’s Los Angeles-based filmmaker Kavi Raz.
TheNEXA IIFA Awards Powered by VIVO is amongst the most anticipated award celebration that honors the very best of what Indian Cinema has to offer,acknowledging the highest level of achievement seen through the glamorous IIFA statuette. The highly anticipated NEXA IIFA Awards Powered by VIVO will witness stunning performances from Bollywood’s glitterati, such as Salman Khan, Alia Bhatt, Katrina Kaif, Shahid Kapoor, Sushant Singh Rajput and Kriti Sanon, to name a few. The hosts for NEXA IIFA Awards Powered by Vivo are renowned filmmaker Karan Johar and acclaimed actor Saif Ali Khan.
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In addition to Satinder Sartaaj and Shabana Azmi’s award-winning performances in the film, The Black Prince also features Jason Flemyng (Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch) as Dr. Login, the foster parent for the Maharajah; and English stage screen actress Amanda Root (The Iron Lady), who boldly portrays the role of Queen Victoria, and supporting roles by Keith Duffy, David Essex OBE, Canadian actor Rup Magon and Sophie Stevens.
Speaking about The Black Prince being invited to IIFA, Satinder Sartaaj says: “It has been an incredible honour to play the role of Maharajah Duleep Singh and I am delighted to be joining Shabana Ji to share our film with a global audience through IIFA – home to the largest celebration of Indian cinema. The response to the film this far has been outstanding and I am proud to be a part of the work which has brought the forgotten story of the last King of Punjab to the attention it rightly deserves. We hope audiences appreciate the immense contribution Maharajah Duleep Singh has made towards the larger fight for India’s independence.”
The film’s director Kavi Raz says: “It’s a privilege to be part of IIFA with The Black Prince. It’s a fantastic opportunity to introduce, to the home of Bollywood,the truly fascinating story of Maharajah Duleep Singh. It’s a story that should be told and has not been told until this point, and we hope those who watch the film will be moved. I am absolutely certain the audience in New York will leave the theatres with pride.”
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Thepreview of The Black Prince at the NEXA IIFA Awards Powered by VIVOwill also coincide with the digital release of a new album inspired by the film from Rukus Avenue Music Group on Sunday 16th July. Produced by visionary music producer Sammy Chand, the album tells the story of Maharajah Duleep Singh through 16 unique tracks featuring a host of musical talent including the Talib Kweli, Emmanuel Jal&Nelly Furtado, Tisha Campbell-Martin,Raxstar and theacclaimed sufi-singer and leading star of the film, Satinder Sartaaj. The music inspired by the film captures the spirit of Maharajah Duleep Singh’s life with a revolutionary melding of cultures and international styles.
Wizcraft International Entertainment Pvt Ltd, known for pioneering many extravagant and mesmerizing events in India and across the world, conceptualized IIFA 17 years ago, by the creative genius of the trio masterminds - Andre Timmins, Viraf Sarkari and Sabbas Joseph. The vision was to celebrate Indian cinema outside India; and IIFA (International Indian Film Academy), the flagship brand is the accomplishment of that dream. IIFA is dedicated to building bridges across cinema, businesses, communities and nations, creating everyone’s dream: “One People. One World”. The journey over
these past 17 years has seen the brand evolve from a one night affair to a weekend, which celebrates and hosts various events and activities related to cinema, business, culture, music and fashion. Hosting a variety of events during the weekend, IIFA helps bring together a global community of people from all walks of life.
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Speaking on the occasion, Wiz Viraf Sarkari Director- Wizcraft International, the producers and creators of the IIFA movement, says: “We are delighted to preview the poignant film The Black Prince at IIFA New York, as this is an incredible yet unknownstory of the last Maharajah of Punjab. As we celebrate the best of Indian cinema, wefeel dutiful and obligated to give due recognition to the works of art which so reliablyrecognize historical works. I am confident that The Black Prince will deliver this story of exceptional courage and bravery of Maharajah Duleep Singh, its deserved place in our hearts and minds.”
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