MUMBAI: AIM listed The Indian Film Company (TIFC) and Gurinder Chadha’s Bend It Films have entered into a partnership to co-produce Chadha’s next film titled It’s A Wonderful Afterlife.

The movie is set to roll in London from 28 March, 2009. As per the terms of the deal, TIFC and Bend It Films will enjoy global revenues in perpetuity.

Afterlife is slated for a worldwide release in early 2010.

The screenplay of Afterlife has been penned by Chadha and her husband Paul Mayeda Berges. London-based world sales outfit, Hanway Films, is handling overseas sales for the movie, while TIFC is releasing it in the Indian territories through Studio 18.

TIFC CEO Sandeep Bhargava said, "We couldn’t be more proud to join forces with Bend It Films to make this fantastic comic script into a reality. Gurinder is an extremely talented and popular writer-director whose films have fared incredibly at the box office. Ever since our team met her in December 2008, we developed great chemistry and I’m delighted that conversations moved at a brisk pace to allow us to work together."

Chadha added, "I am thrilled to have found an Indian partner in The Indian Film Company and Studio 18, as this new film has huge international appeal for the NRI and non-NRI audience. It’s A Wonderful Afterlife is part of a new slate of films by me that have an Indian element but are aimed at the global audience and I am excited to be working with Sandeep, Tanuj, and their colleagues on what I hope will be a long and fruitful relationship."

Afterlife stars Shabana Azmi, Sendhil Ramamoorthy, Shaheen Khan and other international names, that will be announced shortly. Afterlife will also see the debut of British-Indian theatre actress, Goldy Notay.