RP Patnaik's first English film Amy Movie Stills

RP Patnaik's first English film "Amy" Movie Stills

RP Patnaik

Singer-composer R.P. Patnaik, also known for directing Telugu films such as "Andamaina Manasulo" and "Broker", is set to release his first English film "Amy", which will come out Oct 1. "I finished 'Amy' long back, but a lot of time was spent on the post-production. It's finally releasing Oct 1 and I'm extremely happy about it. It has always been my dream to make a Hollywood film. This film will be my ticket to Hollywood," Patnaik told. "Amy", based on the Amish community in the US, is a supernatural thriller. Director R.P. Patnaik is making an English film that finds common ground between the Amish and Indian cultures

Directors are going that extra mile to get noticed within the Telugu film industry. Auteur R.P. Patnaik has made an English film completely shot in America, which is due to release in early 2013. Though S.V. Krishna Reddy has also done the same, it appears that Patnaik’s film will be releasing first. A supernatural thriller titled Amy, the film is about a young Amish girl named Amy who can see possessed souls. Christopher Atkins plays the exorcist and Jessica Digiovanni, Kurt Peterson and Jane Doherty are in lead roles. R.P. Patnaik shot the film in the US within two months, and was assisted by cinematographer Andrew Sadtler and associate screenplay writer Febah Dawson. Patnaik says the post-production work and CG were time consuming. “It is a marketable genre and has a universal subject set against the backdrop of the Amish community. Not many films were made around them. The Amish are known for their religious austerity, some even consider them conservative Protestants who started as a reform group within the Mennonite movement. They separated because of what the Amish perceived as a lack of discipline among Mennonites.”

"The idea for the film was conceived during my frequent trips to the US. I came to learn about the Amish community, who despite being rich, live a very common life with no special amenities. I met and spent some time with them and then I was inspired to script a story around them," he added. "It's about Amy, a girl from the community, who can see possessed souls. We spent over $2 million in the making of the film, especially on the visual effects and graphics," he added. As a composer, Patnaik has composed tunes for over 50 films across Telugu, Kannada and Tamil. Some of his best albums include "Jeyam", "Nee Kosam" and "Santosham". Quizzed if he has shifted base to Hollywood, he said: "I would never bid adieu to Telugu film industry. I have just taken a break and concentrating on Hollywood because it caters to large audience on a global platform. I'm also in talks for another English project."