India in Bahrain 2022

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INDIA IN BAHRAIN CONTENTS

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Reaching New Heights

On the occasion of the Republic of India’s 75th year of Independence this year, Indian ambassador to the Kingdom of Bahrain, HE Piyush Srivastava, speaks about the significant developments and milestone achievements between the two countries.

4 A Life Well Lived

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A true inspiration to all, Dr. Jija Madhavan Harisingh has a prolific career which spans decades and industries. Her experience includes working in both, the public and private sectors. She has lived a colourful life and on a recent visit to Bahrain shared some of her invaluable insights with George Middleton.

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A Master of Trade

Abdulrahman Juma is one of Bahrain’s most wellregarded businessmen, serving as the Chairman of UNEECO, which is known for providing electrical and electronic engineering solutions in Bahrain, and also as the President of the Bahrain India Society.

We sat down with him to learn more about business relations between Bahrain and India.

There’s No Place like Home

Bahrain has long been a source of successful business ventures and fruitful relationships. Anil Nair, Managing Director of Karle Advisory & Consultancy Services W.L.L., tells us about his personal and professional experiences which began 38 years ago on our magical island.

A Bit of Bahrain in Bollywood

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The Bahrain film scene has achieved a major milestone as the first Bollywood production to be majority-filmed in the country has been released. Khel Kood Aur Bhoot (‘Fun, Frolic and Ghost’) is the work of Adnan Malik, a former journalist-turned-filmmaker who took a leap of faith to make the movie. We find out more about his gamble, the film and the future on the back of its success.

June 2022 3

India in Bahrain

REACHING NEW HEIGHTS The Republic of India is celebrating its 75th year of Independence this year. On this momentous occasion, Farah Baig spoke to the Indian ambassador to the Kingdom of Bahrain, HE Piyush Srivastava, about the significant developments and milestone achievements between the two countries including the Indian cumulative foreign direct investment (FDI) in Bahrain which has reached approximately USD1.5 billion.

4 August 2022

Your Excellency, on the occasion of the 75th year of independence of the Republic of India, what can you tell us about the country’s achievements?

This year is a milestone in the journey of independent India. We are celebrating the 75th anniversary of India’s independence with the theme ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahostav’. The celebrations spanning over two years were inaugurated by Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi on 12 March, 2021, commemorating the historic Dandi March.

India’s progress and achievements are there for all to see. A pluralistic society and the largest democracy on earth, India has made tremendous strides in socio-economic development, and in industrial, scientific and technological advances.

In almost all sectors, from agriculture, heavy engineering, infrastructure, services, health, education, to hi-tech areas of space, defence, IT, AI, big data, pharmaceuticals and medical, India is today at the top of the ladder. The Indian economy is well poised to become the growth engine of the world.

What do you consider to be some of the most significant achievements in India over recent years?

India’s growth story has been phenomenal, but I will focus on sectors relevant to contemporary times. In the post-COVID period, when economic www.bahrainthismonth.com

India in Bahrain recovery is a major focus for all governments, the Government of India’s substantial efforts have led to India becoming the fastest growing major economy in the world today. In the fiscal year 2021-22, India attracted its highest ever FDI with USD83.6 billion. This is testimony to our aggressive push for economic and infrastructure development, and our business and investor-friendly climate.

India is steadily claiming its place in the global value chain of manufacturing. It is the largest two-wheeler and 4th largest car manufacturer in the world. However, it has not left traditional sectors behind. As food security increasingly threatens global markets, India has remained the second largest food grains producer in the world.

India is also spearheading progressive movements, having built its renewable infrastructure to claim the 4th largest capacity of renewable energy; thus, playing a key role in the global community on environment and climate change matters.

In the 75 years journey of independent India, we have followed the principle of ‘Vasudaiva Kutumbakam’ i.e. ‘The world is one family’. This was evident in India’s leading role in the global fight against COVID-19. With its top class and highly competitive pharmaceutical industry, which is 3rd largest in the world by volume, and the world’s largest vaccine production capacity, India provided vaccines, medicines and other medical assistance to over 150 countries across the world.

What is the current status of the commercial and economic relationship between the two countries?

Our bilateral trade registered a growth of about 55 percent in the year 2021-22 and reached the highest ever level of USD1.65 billion. Investments on both sides are also increasing. The Indian cumulative foreign direct investment (FDI) in Bahrain has reached to approximately USD1.5 billion increasing by more than 35 percent since 2019.

Our bilateral cooperation is diversifying from traditional areas to the new emerging areas of pharmaceuticals, IT, space, Fintech and renewable energy reflecting contemporary times. The cooperation is set to intensify in the coming days as India and Bahrain find themselves in a complementary position to benefit each other. Technology, economy, IT, health, education, energy, manufacturing, skill and youth will be the key drivers.

In a recent interview with BTM, you mentioned that there were several key sectors of the Indian economy which offer good potential for Bahrain investment. Have there been any further developments on this front?

Both in health and pharmaceuticals and renewable energy sectors, the government agencies as well as private sectors of our two countries are working to increase collaboration www.bahrainthismonth.com

in bilateral trade and investment, capacity building and exchange of professionals.

Bahraini counterparts to make Bahrain’s fight against pandemic a success.

Given traditional reliance of Gulf countries on India in the food sector, as well as the recent focus of the government of Bahrain in ensuring food security, this sector has emerged as a key area of bilateral economic cooperation. India intends to be a partner of Bahrain in its food security efforts. We aspire to turn the traditional trading relations in this sector into a strategic one. There are significant opportunities for investment in food parks in India.

The Indian embassy recently organised a World Yoga Day event. Can you tell us about the success of such events in raising awareness about Indian culture, and bridging the gap between communities?

The Embassy celebrated the International Day of Yoga (IDY) this year with two events on 21 June 2022 as part of the ‘Global Yoga Ring’ the live telecast of Yoga sessions across the world. The events were a culmination of over 30 events throughout June to celebrate Yoga.

How many Indians reside in the Kingdom?

Which sectors are they primarily involved in?

The Indian community numbers around 350,000, and constitutes almost a quarter of the population of Bahrain. Our vibrant community in Bahrain plays an important role in promoting our bilateral ties and further strengthening the existing goodwill between our two countries.

While a large chunk of them are employed in blue collar jobs; many are CEOs, CFOs, and professionals, including chartered accountants, doctors, engineers, teachers and nurses. In addition, a number of Indian families own and run very successful businesses in Bahrain.

What can you tell us about the impact of the CBSE curriculum and Indians employed in the education sector in Bahrain? How many Bahrainis are currently pursuing their higher education in India?

I am very happy to share that more than 24,000 students are studying in the eight Indian CBSE Schools in Bahrain. CBSE schools are among the best, and are known for their quality education in the region. These schools also demonstrate the effectiveness of Indian education system as thousands of locals and other expatriates prefer to admit their children in the CBSE schools.

In 2019, just before the pandemic, more than 100 students from Bahrain went to India to pursue their studies. The trend got temporarily disrupted during the pandemic. However, I am happy to share that recently we are seeing an increase in the issuance of education visas to Bahraini students.

What can you tell us about Indians employed in the healthcare sector in Bahrain? What are some of their most significant achievements?

Our collaboration in the healthcare sector as well as exchange of medical professionals is not new. If I recall correctly, one Indian doctor, Dr. Bhandarkar visited Bahrain as early as 1925 and opened a clinic in Muharraq.

There are approximately 8,000 Indian health professionals in Bahrain including doctors, nurses and technical staff across all government and private hospitals. There is also significant Indian investment in Bahrain’s healthcare sector. During the pandemic, Indian healthcare workers rose to the challenge, and worked shoulder-to-shoulder with their

On the morning of June 21, there was a simultaneous Yoga session held at seven Indian schools in Bahrain which saw the participation of 700 students. The evening session at the Isa Sports City, in association with the Ministry of Youth and Sports and National Health Regularly Authority was attended by around 400 yoga enthusiasts including yoga practitioners, members of the diplomatic corps, representatives from Indian associations, and members of Indian and Bahraini community.

This year’s events witnessed overwhelming participation of over 4,000 people.

What are some of the most significant developments between the two countries in recent years?

During the pandemic period, the high-level interactions, bilateral visits and meetings of structural mechanisms continued. Hon’ble Prime Minister Modi held telephonic conversations with HM King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa as well as HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and Prime Minister. Both our Foreign Ministers visited each other’s countries. The Minister of State for External Affairs of India visited Bahrain, and Undersecretary for Political Affairs, MoFA visited India in March 2022.

Ministers of Oil, Youth Affairs and Sports and Education have held virtual meetings.

Several meetings of bilateral mechanisms in diverse sectors have been held. This includes the 3rd meeting of High Joint Commission led

by Foreign Ministers of the two countries; 5th meeting of Foreign Office Consultations led

by Undersecretary, MoFA from Bahraini side and Secretary, MEA from Indian side as well as Joint Working Groups in the areas of Health, Renewable Energy, Security and Counter Terrorism.

In addition, Bahrain joined International Solar Alliance as its 86th member in March 2022.

The list is pretty long, but to sum it up, I foresee immense opportunities, potential and complementarities for greater collaboration and partnerships between our two countries.

Scan the QR code to watch the video interview:

August 2022 5

India in Bahrain

A Life Well Lived

Most notably, 36 years ago, she became the first woman Indian Police Service (IPS) officer in Karnataka, and since, her extensive and varied career ensued earning her several titles including artist, writer, and Director General of Police.

Dr. Jija, what was it like being the first woman in the Indian Police Service during the mid-80s and what has changed since then?

The majority of the challenges that I faced then are not being met by my colleagues now as subordinates have accepted women as IPS officers. When I first joined, people did not know how to address or even salute me – an issue that does not exist now. In addition, we didn’t have facilities for women, even for washing, but this has changed.

You have pursued a post-graduate degree in journalism. Have you followed this passion for writing outside of police work and would you consider authoring a book?

The journalism diploma was an evening programme which naturally provided me with the opportunity to write. My creative writing includes writing short stories, and I believe I have two or three books within me too. That being said, I have started writing a life story, but I wouldn’t want it to end up being a book that is too thick, too involved or one that gives away too many details, or is just some boring autobiography!

I’ve also started writing a children’s book aside from a book detailing my encounters with people for which I have written ten or 12 chapters. Let me get that out first and write about my more colourful police journey.

My favourite authors are Maya Angelou and the Vietnamese monk Thich Nhat Hanh. I am currently reading his book ‘Europa’ which received the Booker Prize from India. I also enjoy books about astrology and spirituality.

A true inspiration to all, Dr. Jija Madhavan Harisingh has had a prolific career which spans decades and industries. Her experience includes working in both, the public and private sectors. She has lived a colourful life and on a recent visit to Bahrain shared some of her invaluable insights with George Middleton.

You completed your Ph.D. or thesis on women’s empowerment, doing a socioeconomic study of women recruited into the police force in Karnataka. What was the most exciting finding in your research?

What was interesting in the study that I’d like to explore further is that women feel empowered in that they have been able to capture the agency, within the family, society, and the workplace, at all levels. Generally, they feel empowered and have been able to establish themselves in having a voice in economic affairs and areas which involves decisions making such as where to send their children to school, if they should go on holiday and where, how they should celebrate festivals, and what they should buy. In all those things, women have established themselves and their power of agency.

Does law enforcement need to get more involved with protecting women in India, or do you think that laws are in place now?

Law enforcement must be stricter; the police must be sensitive to victims. Sometimes you

6 August 2022

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India in Bahrain find that the constables themselves, let people get away.

I want to also talk about the ‘#Metoo’ movement in Hollywood. There have been similar instances with seniors and MPs who have admitted to doing similar things. In fact, I watched a documentary where a film director in India openly admitted to doing actresses favours in exchange for roles. “Of course, I sleep with the actresses. If they cooperate with me, I will give them jobs,” he said. I couldn’t believe he admitted to this on camera in front of all these people. It was bizarre because that was before the ‘#Metoo’ movement exploded in the West.

Have you taken any particular delight in putting any specially privileged individual where he belongs - in jail?

I was an officer on deputation to a company; I went before the board for the selection committee for an interview, and the company’s chairman told me to call him. So many interviews are part of the hiring process, and I called him without even thinking about it. He had asked me to meet him at his hotel room and so I asked my colleague if he could spare his evening, and he agreed to come.

I asked my colleague to meet me at the hotel lobby and then called the chairman to let him know I was at the reception. He was frightened when he saw me with my colleague! You should have seen his face! (Laughs). I can’t say for sure that he had ill intentions, but it is something he was known for doing. He was always wary of me after that.

There was another extremely powerful guy high up in authority who went down for five to six years in jail for harassment where I was involved in the case.

I think harassment is so painful. It’s sad on a surface level, but on the inside when you’ve reported someone, you have the sweet fragrance of honey, knowing that you’ve done the right thing.

What advice would you have for women today who may also go into a traditionally malewww.bahrainthismonth.com

based work environment? Is it more accessible now than it was 36 years ago?

It is slightly more accessible, but India is not a uniform, small country; it has 1.4 billion people. So, the culture is not uniform, the education level is not consistent, and it all depends on the area; in some places, it is backward while in other cities, it is forward, and women will face challenges depending on where they might be based or living. Wife beatings are still prevalent in India; there are high rates of suicides among women. No conclusive research shows that you will be free from these issues if you are more educated.

people have access to safe and secure soil that is free from pesticides and that the same type of people don’t control this part of the economy.

What do you think lies in the future for you?

I feel I’m a self-reliant person as I don’t live for the approval or disapproval of others. I only need my approval and ask myself: “Have I learned something new today? Have I done enough?”.

I don’t have significant plans for myself.

You’ve exhibited your art all over the world.

What was your most exhilarating experience as an artist?

I had started my journey with painting in India.

At some point, I was sent to Australia for a course in Change Management at a university outside Sydney for four months. Once, when everyone had gone home for the weekend, and I was alone, I started painting. Then, one artist and the director of the local museum were passing by; they paused, looked at my artwork, and said, “Would you like to have an exhibition?”. I was leaving for India in a month,

so they went to the state gallery, and an exhibition hall was created for me. This hall, where I had my solo show ‘Indian Magic’ now has a three-year waiting list.

Over the years, I’ve had to re-evaluate the price of my paintings, as I did not want to sell them for exorbitant fees, I tried to sell them and make them affordable so people could buy them.

Where do you find the time to focus on so many things and excel at them? What is your secret?

It’s about managing your time, structuring your time, prioritising, and working, and then you can achieve a lot. I do so much work at night. My watch says I slept last night for three hours and 31 minutes. (Laughs) Do you have any goals left?

Yes, I want to get into nutritional security in my country, which focuses on ensuring that August 2022 7

India in Bahrain

A Master of Trade Abdulrahman Juma is one of Bahrain’s most well-regarded businessmen, serving as the Chairman of UNEECO, which is known for providing electrical and electronic engineering solutions in Bahrain, and also as the President of the Bahrain India Society. Bahrain This Month sat down with him to learn more about business relations between Bahrain and India.

Mr. Juma is a proud member of one of Bahrain’s oldest merchant families, who for the last five generations have conducted trade between Bahrain and India. Training as a mechanical engineer and graduating from a university in the UK, he began his career at BAPCO before starting his own company. It was during this time that he forged strong business relations across the globe.

“I engaged with numerous companies across the world,” he says. “Firstly there were Japanese firms, then American, British, Belgian, French and other European businesses. For whatever reason, I totally missed India and that part of the world, and it wasn’t until much later in my career that I was actually approached by Larsen & Toubro, an Indian technology and engineering company, and that’s when it opened my eyes to the incredible opportunities in the country.

“When L&T approached me, I visited them and I found their products to be fantastic and high quality. I set up a small factory with them and now our turnover exceeds BD4 million annually. It’s an incredible success story and although UNEECO also deals with other companies in similar fields such as light fittings and bus ducts, I definitely owe L&T a deep gratitude for being the gateway to the Indian market.”

Over the last four decades, Mr. Juma has been instrumental in contributing to the growth of business and commerce in the Kingdom, pushing government authorities and consultants hard to implement the same level of international standards here.

Arguably, his greatest achievement is promoting cultural relations as the President of the Bahrain India Society. Founded in 2008, its aim is to bring together the two communities to promote culture, friendship and business amongst other facets.

8 August 2022

The BIS is now 146 members strong, including individuals and companies, with numbers increasing regularly. The society meets regularly with seminars, both business and social, which continue to attract both Bahraini and Indian nationals to network.

“The Bahrain India Society continues to be a great success in this regard,” Mr. Juma says. “Our main achievement recently has been the launch of the book ‘Gandhi: His Engagement with Islam and the Arab World,’ written by BIS founder Abdulnabi Alshoala. It was first published in Arabic, then later in English, Hindi, Urdu and Malayalam.

“Furthermore, alongside high level meetings with the Economic Development Board, we have helped to set up Indian companies with the American Chamber of Commerce to use Bahrain as a base. We’ve also hosted some very popular cultural functions too, such as a Bollywood theatre production.

“I would like to thank all staff at the Indian embassy, in particular the current Ambassador of India HE Piyush Srivastava, who is one of the most dynamic ambassadors I’ve ever encountered and whose energy reflects on us and makes us work harder.”

As for the future, Mr. Juma believes that the Kingdom is recovering strongly post-pandemic and will continue to forge strong ties with India.

He explains: “I think both manufacturers and consumers have the appetite to resume business as normal. As such, I expect trade between India and Bahrain to increase, especially in the electrical field which I specialise in, and also with food and textile products in particular.”

Scan the QR code to watch the video interview: www.bahrainthismonth.com

India in Bahrain

A Partner for Progress Established in 1976, the Bahrain-based company Universal Electro-Engineering (UNEECO) considers itself a market leader in providing electrical and electronic engineering solutions in the Kingdom. A large portion of the firm’s success comes from its products imported from around the world, including India. products since 2009. L&T by Schneider Electric India Pvt. Ltd., an Indian technology and engineering company, approached UNEECO’s UPS Division - a gateway to a relationship that now turns over more than BD1.5 million annually.

Other companies associated with the UPS Division include RR Global, Precise Electrical, Modutec, Elmex, Kalpa Electricals and many more, providing products such as electrical components, cables, terminals and accessories.

UNEECO, which established its first assembly plant in Salmabad now operates out of a stateof-the-art facility in BIIP at Bahrain’s Al Hidd Industrial Area.

UNEECO’s Unique Power Switchgears (UPS) Division, has had a storied history with Indian

UNEECO’s Chairman, Mr. Abdulrahman Juma said: “We are continuously impressed overall with the quality and durability of Indian products, and their reputation continues to be improved and recognised. They consistently meet global standards in terms of quality and value for money.”

“We are very happy to continue working with them into the future and appreciate that they are very flexible; they are consistently willing to modify or tailor things to the Bahrain market based on our requests,” he adds.

LV Fuse Board Ser ving Customer Needs Since 2009

A Division of

UNEECO’s Director, Mr. Jayashankar Viswanathan, explained: “We have proudly worked with Indian companies since 2009. We use Indian products to build some of our products including LV power, control panels and distribution boards, in addition to providing capacitor panels to our customers.”

The UPS Division has been involved in several recognisable projects and developments using its extensive portfolio of international products.

Imports from India in particular were put to use on some of Bahrain’s biggest development projects. These include: Al Sahel Resort, EWA Pilot Project, Abraj Lulu Project, Mall of Dilmunia, Al Safwa Tower and many more.

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BAHRAIN & INDIA TOGETHER IN FORGING A TECHNOLOGY PARTNERSHIP OF EXCELLENCE www.bahrainthismonth.com

August 2022 9

India in Bahrain

There’s no place like home Bahrain has long been a source of successful business ventures and fruitful relationships.

Anil Nair, Managing Director of Karle Advisory & Consultancy Services W.L.L., tells us about his personal and professional experiences which began 38 years ago on our magical island.

After leaving India in 1983, Anil lived an expatriate life including 11 years in Bahrain from 1985 to 1996, before obtaining Australian residency and then citizenship in 2002. He returned to Bahrain in 2008 and has been here ever since.

Anil said: “I started my career in financial services with a subsidiary of British American Tobacco. That journey has led me through diversified organisations in multiple international locations.

“More importantly, along that journey I met and married my wonderful wife, Karina, when she was employed with Gulf Air here in Bahrain, and we have two sons Karan and Kyle. They are the primary reasons and motivation that I do what I do.”

When Anil first returned to Bahrain, he was the Group CEO of Mannai Group, one of the Kingdom’s most prominent business houses. He also has experience as the CEO of a global sportsmedia business with interests in television production, events, publishing and merchandising.

However, he feels there is time for a change to refresh and move forward. “Being stagnant is a slippery slope to nowhere,” he explains.

“Therefore, I have set up an advisory firm in Bahrain. In addition, with overseas investments from institutional investors and family offices, my partners and I are in the process of incorporating companies with interests in real estate, private equity and crypto platforms.”

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Anil’s decision to return to Bahrain and continue to forge his and his family’s future on the island with his latest venture came from his belief that the Kingdom is an easy place to fit back into even after a prolonged absence, provides a great environment to raise his two boys and has a business-friendly government.

He says: “We tend to take a lot that Bahrain has to offer for granted. Believe me, not many countries can offer an environment that is safe and friendly, with great schools, value for money, an easy-paced lifestyle and a confluence of diverse cultures and people that enrich us, both as individuals and collectively.

“The Bahraini people are without doubt the greatest asset the Kingdom has to offer.

Memories go back a lifetime and I have far too many fabulous ones to put down. If you were to ask me what my favourite memories are of Bahrain, then of course I met Karina here, that’s got to be the top of that list!

“Other great memories include forming lifelong friendships, playing golf both on His Majesty King Hamad’s private course and in a blinding shamaal on a sand course, relaxing on a tiny magical strip of sand called Jarada, playing Bridge at various clubs, cricket on a concrete carpeted pitch, being part of an early squash league called the ‘Duffers’ and winning a few navigation rallies at the Bahrain Motor Club.

“I can’t wait to make many more memories here, both personal and professional, in the years to come.”

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India in Bahrain

Developing Unique Concepts

Abdul Rasheed Puthusseri has a storied history in the food and beverage business. We questioned him on his love of the industry and in particular, his role as the founder and managing director of Unique Restaurant Management.

Could you tell our readers a little bit about yourself and your experience?

My family have always been in the business and they insisted on me lending a hand in supporting them. The more I engaged with the restaurant’s daily operations, the more I fell in love with the idea of family and friends uniting around a table of good scrumptious meals.

as scrumptious meals. Mumbai Spices is my brainchild that strives to serve a variety of street food dishes from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. This is solely the reason why the concept was a huge success. The menu has something for everyone!

Mumbai Spices started at Sharjah Airport, and currently has branches in Dubai, Sharjah, Qatar and Bahrain.

What can you tell us about the restaurants that fall under Unique Restaurant Management?

It’s my passion to develop new and fun concepts. Mumbai Spices and Alreef Panasia are two of my projects that I believe are very familiar to the crowd in Bahrain. Alrayah Catering is a unit that has actively catered to hospitals, gatherings and celebrations of any capacity. Hashtag Grab is a cloud kitchen concept of filling continental meals you can grab and enjoy while on the go. Finally, I’m sure Al-Osra is a concept that doesn’t require much of an introduction!

Are there any plans for expansion or the diversification of products and services?

Developing new concepts will always remain my passion and I find myself working on a new concept every day. However, I can reveal that Mumbai Spices is set to make a comeback in Bahrain Mall with state-of-the-art interiors to enhance the experience!

I am also working on setting up an F&B consultancy, like an innovation lab, to impart the knowledge and wisdom I have earned over these years to help others realise their passion and dreams.

Mumbai Spices has proved very popular. What do you believe is the reason for its monumental success?

I realised that I could create a home away from home for Indian people with something as simple

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India in Bahrain

A BIT OF BAHRAIN IN BOLLYWOOD The Bahrain film scene has achieved a major milestone as the first Bollywood production to be majority-filmed in the country has been released. Khel Kood Aur Bhoot (‘Fun, Frolic and Ghost’) is the work of Adnan Malik, a former journalist-turned-filmmaker who took a leap of faith to make the movie. We sat down with him to find out more about his gamble, the film and the future on the back of its success.

12 August 2022

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India in Bahrain Congratulations on the release of your film, Adnan! Could you tell our readers how you came to be a filmmaker?

I wanted to get away from the realism of news agency journalism and public relations, which were equally daunting. I firmly believe that anything you can see in your mind’s eye you can achieve, so I quit, had faith in God and in my dreams, packed my bags, and took the flight to my ancestral homeland - India.

How do you feel about completing the project?

It’s a dream for any creative person to see their work play out on the big screen. Due to unforeseen events such as the pandemic, I used to joke with friends that my movie might have the tagline ‘never in the cinema near you.’ Eventually, the film was completed in three blocks of 20 days, so approximately two months.

When I released it on India’s largest streaming platform – MXPlayer – on May 13, it was incredible as it gave my movie the visibility I had hoped for. It also rewarded me with an audience of millions. The only tiny drawback was that platform did not have any Bahraini or Arabian Gulf presence for that matter. With constant requests to release in Bahrain, the only option I saw was either to release in cinemas or tie up with other platforms like Netflix or Amazon which had a regional presence. Luckily, cinema chains came on board to release my movie.

I’m especially proud that the movie picked up an ‘honourable mention’ in the 2019 edition of the Columbus International Film and Animation Festival – the oldest American film festival.

What compelled you to produce your movie? Is filmmaking something you have always been interested in?

I was told during my acting training that on a daily basis, at least 6,000 or more people come to Mumbai with dreams of making it in the film industry. With such a huge influx and large pool of talent, the chances for success are fairly slim. I was fortunate to have my family’s support to pursue my dream and also my journalism background and living outside India www.bahrainthismonth.com

gave me out-of-the-box thinking. Producing my own movie gave me the artistic and creative freedom to do as I desired.

What can you tell us about the movie, the cast and production team?

Khel Kood Aur Boot is a story inspired by the true events of six friends who embark on a documentary-film-making adventure to figure out whether ghosts exist or not. Their interviews with the common people lead them to a supposedly haunted house in the suburbs near Mumbai, where they come face-to-face with the frightening truth. I had the concept for several years in my head and I partly narrated the story to my acting class in Mumbai and it freaked them out! I do owe credit for the title to my mum, though!

Finding a break in Bollywood can be very tough in light of the competition and talent available. From the beginning, the idea was to give new talent a chance, and find new and unknown faces for the movie. I believe horror movies have a better impact on the audience when they see unfamiliar actors. The easiest character to cast was myself as I felt I could portray the non-resident Indian with ease.

All others were selected either through auditions or by bumping into them in the street and asking!

shot here is a unique selling point for us.

Bahrain has a rich history and culture and, of course, a huge Indian population. Bollywood movies and series have been shot in neighbouring Gulf countries but never here, so I thought it was time to fix that.

A lot of the visual style and storytelling is very classic Bollywood. How, to you, does this differ from traditional Western/Hollywood filmmaking?

Filmmaking is a technological enterprise and personally speaking, Hollywood is way ahead in terms of technology and originality in scripting and filming. A lot of what is used in the West eventually trickles down to the East, inspiring filmmakers around the world to do the same.

Also, both Hollywood and Bollywood employ different methods of doing business and they both make very different movies. The main distinctions revolve around how both make films that are spread across genre, special effects, budget, the market and audience, and last but not the least, the cast.

Yes, Bollywood has a lot to catch up to do with Hollywood, but with the market opening up for new directors, a leapfrog in technology for filmmakers from the subcontinent, and fresh talent emerging, Indian cinema will pass with flying colours.

I will add that Bollywood is a force to reckon with now. The Indian film industry cannot be ignored anymore. It is growing exponentially both in terms of revenue generation and profits. It has not only managed to attract global audiences, filmmakers, and actors but also Western production houses such as Disney, Warner Bros., 21st Century Fox, etc., to name a few, who are reaping the rewards of their investments.

What was the main inspiration behind the story?

It’s inspired by some paranormal experiences that occurred during my teenage days with friends in Bahrain. This story is based on those occurrences and, of course, dramatically sprinkled with some Bollywood masala – the usual songs and dances to add commercial value.

The films has a fun end-credits sequence with bloopers, what are some of the more fun on-set anecdotes you can recall?

There are many incidents as it was a great team to work with. However, there were also some scary incidents that we laughed about later like when I had to literally rescue my 250-pound co-actor in a swimming pool scene.

He didn’t know how to swim, but he said he could as he didn’t want to be left out of the scene. I had to drag him kicking, screaming and clawing out of there.

Approximately 85 percent of the movie was shot in Bahrain. What compelled you to pick Bahrain as the primary location?

Bahrain is my homeland and every citizen is a representative of their own country, and we need to look at how we can align ourselves with His Majesty King Hamad’s vision for the Kingdom. I’ve always wanted to do something for my country and also something that my parents and family, in general, would be proud of.

What are your plans for the future? Is there a sequel in mind?

Yes. A sequel is in the works and in fact is in the treatment stage at the moment! Furthermore, I’m planning to bring the first Bollywood acting workshop to Bahrain in October with a renowned Bollywood cinematographer. For those who would like to learn to act in front of a camera, this would be an ideal learning opportunity. Some of the workshop participants could be chosen for the sequel.

Some of the support cast are based in Bahrain, including my sister Almas, who is a doctor at King Hamad Hospital’s emergency ward.

Movies are a great medium for promoting a destination and the fact that it’s the first movie August 2022 13

India in Bahrain

Nurturing Global Citizens through Experiential Learning

E

stablished in the year 2004, The New Millennium School (NMS) – Bahrain functions under the banner of Knowledge Management Group, led by the honourable Chairman, Padmashree Dr. Ravi Pillai - a visionary entrepreneur, passionate educationist, pioneer par excellence in industry, charity and education. The school has carved a niche for itself with an indomitable progress and an unparalleled track record of excellence under the dynamic leadership of the Principal, Mr. Arun Kuumar Sharma, whose foresighted vision, selfless service and innovative guidance in teaching and learning practices is the fruition of the school to be accredited ‘Good’ by the BQA. NMS is proud to be a school where scholastic and co-scholastic activities are closely interwoven into the holistic curricular fabric blended with experiential connects, thus imparting world class education. Its primary aim is to foster student-led learning that is founded and nurtured by the core values of ‘Honesty, Integrity and Sensitivity’, the cornerstone to learning at NMS. The school endorses and commits itself towards the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals by ensuring inclusive and quality education through a plethora of innovative Teaching-Learning practices. The teaching

methodology at NMS facilitates quality education for developing an equipoise individual with civic sense and social responsibility. The core teaching methodologies include Flip Learning, Interdisciplinary Approach, Life Connect, Multiple Intelligence Skills, use of VAT (Visual, Auditory, Tactile) skills, Learning Objectives-based worksheets and experiential learning.

Promoting students to think out of the box is a usual practice within the school. Some of the student-initiated activities include self-scripted class assemblies, commerce kitchens, charity drives and charity book sales. This is in addition to launching campaigns on ‘environmental sensitivity, safety and healthy life style’, maintaining the school garden, DEAR (Drop Everything And Read) Time, CURA (an initiative for recycling paper), Earth Hour, E-magazine, Model United Nations, Technozone, Radio NMS, writing GDBD (Good Deed Bank Deposit) in the Almanac daily, and expression time and wellness time during online classes.

The school’s strong digital infrastructure had been successful in meeting every child’s learning needs and engage the learners enthusiastically during the pandemic. The additional support provided to the students during the smart classes conducted through flip and blended learning featured interactive activities, online assignments, individual projects and enriched learning resources from KG to Grade 12, instilled optimism and flexible learning pathways for the learners during the crisis hour.

NMS has always and shall always continue to ensure a balance between knowledge and its implications, seek to teach solutions in real life situations and groom children to be creative and constructive future citizens.

14 August 2022

www.bahrainthismonth.com