'Amal'- watch out for this most talked about film of the year

'Amal' by Richie Mehta has become the most talked about film of the year with an Indian theme. After winning the Best Independent Film of the latest Santa Barbara International Film Festival, 'Amal' took the grand jury prize for Best Narrative Feature at the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles, April 28, 2008. Earlier, it won the Audience Award for best narrative at the AFI Dallas International Film Festival this year. 'Amal'; is going places, writes Kathy Robinson for India EU Film Initiative.

Shot in India's capital Delhi, Amal explores a slice of contemporary India through a neo-realist portrait of a poor but an incredibly self-less rickshaw driver (Rupinder Nagra) who is given a surprise bequest from one of his customers, G.K. Jayaram (Naseeruddin Shah). It's Amal's act of kindness towards a seemingly homeless man that sets off powerful ripples in the community. The cast includes talented theatre actress from RADA-- Koel Purie, Roshan Seth and Seema Biswas.

Twenty nine year-old Mehta adapted the screenplay in Hindi from his brother Shaun's short story 'Amal: The Autorickshaw Wallah'.