MUMBAI: Producer-director Sameer Hanchate’s debut film Gafla, a hard-hitting film inspired by the much-publicized scam in the Indian Stock market has been selected for The Times BFI 50th Film Festival 2006 to be held in London. The film will be released on 6 October.

Hanchate, erstwhile assistant to Subhash Ghai, had done a lot of research at Wall Street before embarking on this Rs 30 million (Rs. 3 crore) film project.

He says, “It is a fantastic feeling and I am proud that my first film has been selected for this reputed international film festival. The Times BFI 50th Film Festival will be held in London from 18 October to 2 November.”

“My banner Metropolis Multimedia Company with the support of Manmohan Shetty’s Adlabs will release the movie on 6 October all over India. CNBC and Radio Mirchi are our partners for this film,” he adds.

Speaking about the film, Hanchate says, “Gafla is inspired by the much publicized boom and bust scams on the Mumbai stock market. It examines the ethics and morality of this Machiavellian world defined by its winners and losers. Subodh (Vinod Sherawat) is a bright young player with a dream of making it big. Early wins fuel his ambition and he is faced with a choice of following a secondary career dominated by big players or becoming one himself. Through a series of fast moves and supported by a crack team and ordinary investors he becomes the most dazzling player of them all. However, old money, with its political and institutional backing, is at his heels and is determined to punish him for the audacity of his dreams.”

Elaborating on his role, Sherawat says, “I play the big bull. My character is inspired by Harshad Mehta’s scams and his life from the rags to rich story.” Vinod has earlier played a cameo in Shyam Benegal’s Zubeida wherein he plays Karisma Kapoor’s husband.   

The film stars Vinod Sherawat, Shruti Ulfat and Purva Parag in lead roles. It has music by Kartik Shah.