Lights, Camera, Action…
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With similar culture in common, three West Texas youngsters are creating a film entitled “Waking Dreams” in Midland and Odessa. For all three – producer Kalyan Vindhya from Odessa, writer/director Deepika Daggubati from Abilene and Sulekha Naidu from Odessa – it’s a homecoming of sorts. “We felt that we would get a certain amount of community support from vendors that we wouldn’t get in L.A.,” Vindhya said. All three said the community has been very supportive and welcoming. DSK Films, LLC is the general partner in the film, on which production was underway Thursday at the Young Life building. The story takes place in the fictional town of Benson, Texas. Daggubati wanted to write an uplifting script with a happy ending filled with color and music. Billed as a family comedy, the film centers on Latha Kumar, an Indian-American college graduate who relies on her fantasy life to overcome challenges in her new workplace, family relationships and pursuit of love. Daggubati said she wanted the script to reflect her experience and those of her friends. The children of local doctors, all three are from South India and grew up in traditional Indian families. Vindhya, who has worked for Comedy Central and Paula Abdul, describes the movie as a cross between “Working Girl,” about a woman striving to make it in the workplace, and “Muriel’s Wedding.” “Growing up it was all about academics. It was all about studying. Your ultimate redemption came in the form of education,” Vindhya said, adding that his parents wanted him to have a life of security and stability and yet he’s in a business where the success rate is low. The three reunited about six months ago and decided to make their own film. “Ultimately, it’s what each of us felt like we had to do…to make it happen for ourselves,” the Trinity School graduate said. Daggubati said it took her about two and a half months to finish writing “Waking Dreams,” which doesn’t yet have a distributor. “It’s amazing,” she said of the movie going into production. “I feel incredibly fortunate.” Her next project “Odd Girl Out,” which she confirmed has received positive response in Los Angeles, where they all live, is a coming of age story set in a girls boarding school in Texas. The lead character starts a misfit club to get back at the class diva for tormenting her. This is also the first film in which Naidu has played a lead role. She caught the acting bug attending a summer drama program at Yale University. “I have to say it takes a lot of endurance to handle it,” she said, adding that she’s also a producer on “Waking Dreams.” |
