India's Rahul Bhat Brings ‘Lost & Found in Kumbh' to Cannes Market After ‘Black Warrant' Netflix Success (EXCLUSIVE)
After riding high on the global success of Netflix's prison drama 'Black Warrant,' Indian actor Rahul Bhat is set to present his Hollywood debut 'Lost & Found in Kumbh' at the Cannes Film Market.
The appearance marks his third connection to the festival, following his lead roles in Anurag Kashyap's 'Ugly' (Directors' Fortnight, 2013) and 'Kennedy' (Midnight Screening, 2023).
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The dramedy, produced by Los Angeles-based Mulberry Films and directed by Mayur Puri in his feature debut, will host an teaser drop on May 18 at the Bharat Pavilion in Cannes, giving international buyers their first glimpse at what Bhat describes as a refreshing departure from his usual intense roles.
'For a change, somebody offered me a dramedy,' Bhat tells Variety. 'All the time, people were only giving me these dark, very serious, violent roles. So I thought, okay, let me do something interesting in English.'
The film centers on a professor from London who travels to India's Kumbh Mela with his British wife and son to meet his father. Upon arrival, he discovers his Indian ex-wife and their son are at the family home, but his father is missing. As they search for him, the two boys get lost in the massive crowds of the religious festival.
Shot on location earlier this year at the actual Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj – a once-in-144-years event that attracted over 500 million pilgrims – the production faced extraordinary challenges that Bhat recalls vividly.
'We shot on location when the Kumbh was ending, but yes, it was still there. It was really tough. It was so hot and so many people, but interesting,' Bhat tells Variety.
The production received significant support from local authorities. 'That credit goes to the producers, definitely, because they made sure that we were always working. And also the government of Uttar Pradesh. They were very helpful,' Bhat notes. 'We were given space within the Kumbh near the Ganges for a few days to shoot there.'
Despite the logistical hurdles, the experience left a profound impact on the actor. 'I took a dip in the water also at the end. I must say that there definitely is a lot of energy in that water. I could really feel something… maybe half a billion people have taken a dip. But [there is] something very special about the Ganges.'
The immersive shooting environment created an interesting dynamic for Bhat as an actor. 'While shooting, you don't realize where you are actually because we treat everything like a set,' he reflects. 'Actors have this habit of forgetting that this is a temple, and this is really cool. When you are playing a character, you get so immersed in that, and sometimes you kind of forget that you are at a real place.'
This dichotomy was particularly noteworthy for Bhat considering his character's profession. 'My character was not supposed to think of it like that. He comes from a certain background – he's a professor of philosophy. He's very practical, but has a very psychological point of view of everything.'
Unlike Bhat's previous festival entries with Kashyap, 'Lost & Found in Kumbh' takes a lighter approach. 'It's not to be taken too seriously,' Bhat notes. 'It's a lighter film. Since it has the whole Hollywood angle to it – they don't make stupid films. It's a very cute, interesting film. You could call it a dramedy, or a children's film.'
Bhat's appearance at Cannes follows his recent success with Netflix's 'Black Warrant,' which became one of the streaming platform's biggest global hits this year. He plays a seasoned, tough as nails jailer who also has a vulnerable side. For the actor, this recognition has been a long time coming.
'I am tasting success after, I think, decades,' Bhat reflects candidly. 'I have always had people say my films have been critically acclaimed because I have worked with some great directors, but I have never had this word, 'Oh, it's a success.' And suddenly [after 'Black Warrant'] I am hearing these words from everywhere – 'Oh, it's a hit.''
Coming up, Bhat plays politician Sanjay Gandhi in Sudhir Mishra's 'Summer of 77' for SonyLIV.
The international ensemble cast of 'Lost & Found in Kumbh' includes British actor Katie Amess ('Bull') as Cherry, Bhat as Maddy, Rajshri Deshpande ('Trial By Fire') as Sherry, and young actors Jordy Cass ('Frasier') and Abhisar Puri ('Are You Listening?') as the half-brothers.
The film is produced by Rashaana Shah, Cristy Coors Beasley and Namrata Sharma.
Iris Indie Global is handling worldwide sales for 'Lost & Found in Kumbh.'
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