Shyam Benegal to make Gautam Buddha 
By IndiaFM News Bureau, August 3, 2007 - 14:32 IST
Shyam Benegal’s forthcoming film will not be in Hindi but in Pali language, as it is based on life of Gautam Buddha. Named as Gautam Buddha this film will be funded by the Sri Lankan government and will be entirely shot in Sri Lanka.
Benegal’s film deals with the life of Gautam Buddha and Buddhism, which was first taken to Sri Lanka from India by Emperor Asoka's son Mahendra. Dr. B.K. Modi of the Mahabodhi Society approached Dr. Chandraprakash Dwivedi to make a film on Buddha. Dr. Dwivedi informs that India and Sri Lanka share a very special relation when it comes to Buddhism and that is one reason to Sri Lankan government funding the project.
Dr. Dwivedi further explains that Modi asked him to co-direct this movie but is now happy to know that it will be directed by Shyam Benegal. It is believed that the same film was supposed to be directed by the filmmaker Shekhar Kapur earlier who decided to opt out because of some differences. Interestingly, Dr. Modi had also approached Mira Nair to make the film on Buddha in the early '90s.
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