The world premiere and the trailer launch of Hollywood film One Under the Sun, starring Bollywood actress Pooja Batra, took place at the ongoing Cannes Film Festival.
The former Miss India, who set her Bollywood career aside to marry Los Angeles-based surgeon Dr Sonu Ahluwalia, was spotted in a white sari at the gala. Batra plays an astronaut in the film.
“It is a proud moment for me to play the lead in my first Hollywood film. It is a great role. In order to prepare for it, I needed to really dig deep into myself and my feelings to find honest inspiration. For my physical appearance, I took hints from Indian-born astronaut Kalpana Chawla and American astronaut Sunita Williams,” Batra said in a statement.
Executive producer Sunny Vachher, who “always believed” in Batra, said “she has what it takes, a true go-getter”.
One Under the Sun is about astronaut Kathryn Voss (Batra), the sole survivor of a disastrous space shuttle mission. As a distraught mother desperate to reunite with her terminally ill daughter, she becomes a wanted fugitive after discovering she possesses an extraordinary gift.
Co-director Vincent Tran has praised Batra for her hard work and dedication towards the project.
He said: “Pooja’s acting in One Under the Sun brings audiences on an emotional journey and challenges their notions of war.”
The trailer launch took place recently at the Indian Pavilion of the Cannes Film Festival where Vachher, Isha Vachher, Thomas Pierce, co-director Riyanna Hartley, managing director of World News Network Satish Reddy, co-director Vincent Tran, Batra, actor Rich Paul and executive producer Mike LeBlanc were present, along with delegates from India and the international film fraternity.
