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Los Angeles, The cast of the upcoming film 'Wonka', which stars <keyword id="1688315" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="timothee-chalamet" source="Orion">Timothee Chalamet</keyword>, <keyword id="4737" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="hugh-grant" source="Orion">Hugh Grant</keyword>, <keyword id="3313038" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="olivia-coleman" source="Orion">Olivia Coleman</keyword>, <keyword id="19815277" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="calah-lane" source="Orion">Calah Lane</keyword>, Keegan-Michael Key and <keyword id="6139809" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="simon-farnaby" source="Orion">Simon Farnaby</keyword> among others, got a chance to taste the popular Indian candy '<keyword id="1415198" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mango-Bite" source="Orion">Mango Bite</keyword>' and their reactions suggest that they loved it. A video shared by Warner Bros. India shows Timothee Chalamet, Hugh Grant, Olivia Coleman, Calah Lane, Keegan-Michael Key and Simon Farnaby trying the Indian candy. Chalamet likes the bright yellow and green packaging. To which, Coleman says the packaging "is like a little handbag." She then tries the candy calling it is yummy and tagged it as her "favourite". Grant then tries it and said: "I am liking this very much. It takes me back to Calcutta (Kolkata)." Chalamet says the last three candies, including this one were a "home run." Keegan loves it too. The interviewer talks about how children share this candy in school on their birthday, to which, Keegan says: "Such a nice tradition." Farnaby hilariously added: "On your birthday you hand things out. On your birthday you will lose all your sweets." 'Wonka' is a 2023 musical fantasy film directed by <keyword id="2613463" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="paul-king" source="Orion">Paul King</keyword>, who co-wrote the screenplay with Simon Farnaby, based on a story by King. It tells the origin story of Willy Wonka, a character in the 1964 novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by <keyword id="241349" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="roald-dahl" source="Orion">Roald Dahl</keyword>, featuring his early days as a chocolatier. This is the third film based on the Dahl book following Willy Wonka &amp; the Chocolate Factory (1971) and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005). --IANS dc/kvd

Hugh Grant tries Mango Bite, says it takes him 'back to Calcutta'

<keyword id="948730" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="angel-investment">Angel investment</keyword> in Indian startups hit a five-year high in the year that ended in March 2016. While venture capital firms may appear to be stumbling, existing angel investors are pumping in serious money into Indian startups. 
 “4-5 years ago, there wasn’t enough money available. As more entrepreneurs are turning angels, the money has increased. Also, more people are willing to risk being an entrepreneur. As more good entrepreneurs are out, more people are willing to invest. It’s a cycle.” Saurabh Srivastava from <keyword id="328347" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Indian-Angel-Network">Indian Angel Network</keyword> smiles. 
 
According to a recent report by venture debt firm InnoVen Capital, angel investment in India in FY16 stood at a whopping Rs.113.6 Crores over 69 deals. That’s a 62% hike in deal value and 47% in deal volume from last year. 
 
VC (Venture Capital) firms have turned increasingly cautious about their bets since late last year. This has forced several startups to shutdown or rollback. However, angel investors remained upbeat. Angel investments initially slumped from the June quarter of 2015 to Rs.20.19 Crores in the September quarter and Rs.18.9 Crores in the December quarter. However, investment activity soon picked up in the March quarter when Rs.33.36 Crores of fresh capital was pumped into the ecosystem. 
 
Srivastava explains the phenomenon. “The funding slowdown didn’t affect the angel investment cycle because while big PE firms were affected by the Chinese slump, at the angel level, that’s never an issue. The companies we invest in will mature over the next 3-5 years. The slowdown will have moved by then.” 
 India’s four major angel groups are the Indian Angel Network, <keyword id="1197633" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Chennai-Angels">Chennai Angels</keyword>, <keyword id="1786254" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Calcutta-Angels">Calcutta Angels</keyword>, <keyword id="948689" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Hyderabad-Angels">Hyderabad Angels</keyword> and <keyword id="164924" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Mumbai-Angels">Mumbai Angels</keyword>. 
Srivastava says the focus on cash conservation and unit economics instead of only growth would ensure angels never fund a startup bubble. 
 
“It’s all about the pace at which we fund. Our typical investment is under a million dollar. If somebody wants a $10-20 million valuation, we simply won’t invest. There’s no pressure to deploy”, he observes. 
 
So startups, that’s the bottom-line. Run fast or slow, that’s fine. Just run. 
 
<a href="http://jamaicabolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Usain-bolt-on-your-mark.jpg">Image source</a>

Why India’s angel investment won’t ever see a slowdown

Education start-ups in India seem to be the hottest targets right now, going by the kind of <keyword id="6357455" type="EVENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="Funding">funding</keyword> they are attracting from local and global investors. A couple of days ago, Delhi-based start-up <keyword id="1974964" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Avanti-Learning-Centres">Avanti Learning Centres</keyword> raised an undisclosed amount in <keyword id="948731" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="seed-funding">seed funding</keyword> from <keyword id="1894311" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Pearson-Affordable-Learning-Fund">Pearson Affordable Learning Fund</keyword> (<keyword id="1954796" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="PALF">PALF</keyword>). Two more <keyword id="6365770" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="angel-investors">angel investors</keyword> also took part in the round. Avanti will use the <keyword id="1974977" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Seed-round">seed round</keyword> to develop an <keyword id="1974975" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Online-offline-learning">online-offline learning</keyword> &amp; monitoring system, create more <keyword id="755302" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="educational-content">educational content</keyword> and build new <keyword id="68244" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Learning-centres">learning centres</keyword>. Currently, the <keyword id="1044076" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="education-start-up">education start-up</keyword> operates stand-alone and in-school centres in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kanpur, Roorkee and Puducherry, besides helping the <keyword id="3216" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="students">students</keyword> in three Tibetan schools in Uttarakhand and Karnataka. 
 
This is the second investment in India that Pearson has made through PALF, and the third overall since the fund was launched in July 2012. 
 In November this year, <keyword id="1954793" type="POSITION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Global-education-leader">Global education leader</keyword> Pearson’s inaugural <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/These-2-Peer-selected-Start-upsShared-150K-Investment-To-Boost-Low-cost-Education/articleshow/26512179.cms">edupreneur programme</a>, jointly launched by PALF and US-based investor Village Capital, came to a close with <keyword id="1954794" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Experifun">Experifun</keyword> and <keyword id="1467859" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Sudiksha-Knowledge-Solutions">Sudiksha Knowledge Solutions</keyword> walking off with a seed funding of $75,000 each. The <keyword id="6362476" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="investments">investments</keyword> will enable the start-ups to further develop their low-cost education ventures and assist underprivileged school children. 
 Pearson launched PALF in July 2012 with a capital of $15 million. Investments are made into private companies that offer <keyword id="1974987" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Affordable-educational-services">affordable educational services</keyword> and schooling in Asia, <keyword id="12925" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="80" keywordseo="Africa">Africa</keyword> and Latin America. 
 Set up as a <keyword id="456748" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="non-profit">non-profit</keyword> in March 2010 by <keyword id="258061" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Akshay-Saxena">Akshay Saxena</keyword> and <keyword id="1974967" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Krishna-Ramkumar">Krishna Ramkumar</keyword>, Avanti Learning Centres supports students from low-income families (those with a family income of $5,000 per annum or below) and prepares them for <keyword id="1974989" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="College-entrance-exams">college entrance exams</keyword>, especially the highly competitive engineering and medical entrance tests. Students can study up to 18 hours a week at a centre and need to pay only $20 per month. Costs are kept low as a large network of volunteers and partners, including universities, public schools, policy makers and private sector businesses, help with teaching and administration. 
 Instead of traditional lectures, Avanti follows a comprehensive programme including <keyword id="1951606" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="book-learning">book learning</keyword>, <keyword id="144248" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="Videos">videos</keyword>, <keyword id="1974990" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Peer-learning">peer learning</keyword> (developed by Dr <keyword id="1974994" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Eric-Mazur">Eric Mazur</keyword>, the company’s chief academic advisor and a physics professor at <keyword id="53675" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="harvard">Harvard</keyword>), <keyword id="956032" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Self-study">self study</keyword> &amp; <keyword id="969316" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="group-work">group work</keyword>, <keyword id="1974991" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Recorded-lectures">recorded lectures</keyword>, <keyword id="140811" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="mentoring">mentoring</keyword> and doubt-solving. Students are enrolled after a highly selective two-stage process. 
 “It was the commitment from Akshay and Krishna to focus on improving the <keyword id="1974995" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Education-of-low-income-communities">education of low-income communities</keyword>, combined with an <keyword id="1974993" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Innovative-learning-model">innovative learning model</keyword>, which was the most attractive aspect of the <keyword id="718769" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="investment-opportunity">investment opportunity</keyword>,” said PALF executive director, <keyword id="1974962" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Katelyn-Donnelly">Katelyn Donnelly</keyword>. 
 “Avanti is particularly exciting because it is a non-traditional pedagogy with very strong initial results. Our investment allows us to partner with a mission-led company to bridge a crucial gap between secondary and <keyword id="6375224" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="higher-education">higher education</keyword> for low-income learners. PALF is enthused to support the Avanti team to successfully grow across India, and we look forward to working with them to deliver on their long-term vision,” she added. 
 Commenting on the funding, Saxena said, “Once we decided that a <keyword id="1975001" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="For-profit">for-profit</keyword> model was the best way to reach scale, we knew we would need expert strategic insight and advice. We are incredibly excited to be working with the Pearson Affordable Learning Fund as they bring unrivalled education expertise to the table that can help us achieve our long-term objectives. We look forward to building upon the relationship with Pearson as we improve outcomes for low-income learners in the years to come.” 
 
Recent fundraising by education start-ups 
uFaber: Mumbai-based <keyword id="1975002" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="uFaber-Edutech">uFaber Edutech</keyword> (http://www.ufaber.com/), which runs an <keyword id="1975003" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Online-education-marketplace">online education marketplace</keyword> for <keyword id="1975006" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Professional-skill-development">professional skill development</keyword>, hobbies, crafts, academics and vocational training, got Rs 37 lakh from <keyword id="1975007" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Ah-Seeders">Ah! Seeders</keyword>, the seed funding network of <keyword id="1975008" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Club-Ah">Club Ah!</keyword> It is the network’s maiden investment in India after its launch in the country. Ah! Seeders puts its money into very early stage companies and typically invests in the range of Rs 25-50 lakh. 
 
<keyword id="1573710" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Meritnation">Meritnation</keyword>: Delhi-based <keyword id="1962741" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Applect-Learning-Systems">Applect Learning Systems</keyword>, which runs the online education and assessment site Meritnation.com (http://www.meritnation.com/), secured Rs 10 crore from <keyword id="80004" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Info-Edge">Info Edge</keyword> (India) Ltd, the biggest consumer Internet company in India by market value. With this fresh round, Info Edge has put in a total of Rs 71.5 crore and holds around 55.81% stake in Applect (on a fully diluted and converted basis). 
 
<keyword id="900714" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="InOpen-Technologies">InOpen Technologies</keyword>: Mumbai-based InOpen Technologies (http://inopen.in/), a start-up developing educational content and <keyword id="1975016" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Teachers-training-solutions">teacher’s training solutions</keyword>, received an undisclosed sum in Series A from <keyword id="1975017" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Japanese-education-firm">Japanese education firm</keyword> Benesse Holdings, Inc. In August 2011, the company raised $500,000 in seed funding from <keyword id="1975018" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Ventureast-Tenet-Fund-II">Ventureast Tenet Fund II</keyword>. 
 
MangoSense: The Pune-based edutainment start-up (http://mangosense.com/) got an undisclosed amount from <keyword id="164924" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Mumbai-Angels">Mumbai Angels</keyword>. Its products include <keyword id="1975022" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="MangoReader">MangoReader</keyword>, <keyword id="1975023" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="MangoReach">MangoReach</keyword> and <keyword id="1975025" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="MangoSocial">MangoSocial</keyword>, through which users can create a fun and social environment for reading books and sharing them with friends. 
 
<keyword id="1975033" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="K2-Learning">K2 Learning</keyword>: Bangalore-based hybrid (online-offline) start-up K2 (http://k2learning.in/) secured Rs 8 crore in angel funding from <keyword id="244269" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Radheshyam-Agarwal">Radheshyam Agarwal</keyword>, founder and director of <keyword id="1975034" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Calcutta-Tube-India">Calcutta Tube India</keyword>. The start-up specialises in <keyword id="1975035" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Commerce-content">commerce content</keyword> and plans to set up <keyword id="1974968" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Tab-Labs">Tab Labs</keyword> in more than 100 <keyword id="37181" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="colleges">colleges</keyword> that will get special tablets with <keyword id="1975036" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Pre-loaded-commerce-data">pre-loaded commerce data</keyword>. 
 
<keyword id="1309724" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Simplilearn">Simplilearn</keyword>: Bangalore-based <keyword id="1974963" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Simplilearn-Solutions">Simplilearn Solutions</keyword> (www.Simplilearn.com), a company offering <keyword id="1309739" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="professional-certification-courses">professional certification courses</keyword> online, secured $10 million in <keyword id="1095983" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Series-B-funding">Series B funding</keyword> from <keyword id="309606" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Helion-Venture-Partners">Helion Venture Partners</keyword> and existing investor <keyword id="1397792" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Kalaari-Capital">Kalaari Capital</keyword>.

Another Education Start-up From India Gets Seed
Round From Pearson Affordable Learning Fund

Meet two management graduates - <keyword id="3446747" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Neeraj-Sharda">Neeraj Sharda</keyword> and <keyword id="3446748" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sudhanshu-Goyal">Sudhanshu Goyal</keyword> - who are trying to redefine the offline advertising landscape using Chikoop - an audio mobile marketing solution for phones, and 8Hoarding - a venture to change the way outdoor advertising industry works in India. 

	8Hoarding leverages big data intelligence, sophisticated mathematical models and inputs of advertising veterans to help brands select the right outdoor media for their campaigns. It uses patented technology to provide users with quality of telecom calls without internet and without any top-ups. Also they can get information about relevant products and deals &amp; avail them through the platform. The platform offers lot of engaging features like social media and offline chat messenger making it a complete experience for users. As an innovative marketing solution, Chikoop enables brands to market to their target audience by placing ads during free calls. Since the solution works on all phones with or without internet, it gives brands access to 90% of the people in India- higher than TV, Radio, Print and Online put together. Also unlike offline marketing, brands can track leads, re-target interested audience and measure real-time analytics on clicks. Chikoop has received over-whelming response from brands including ventures of IIM and IIT alumni from sectors including e-commerce, food-tech and deals aggregation.
 

	The duo feels that even as Indian businesses are adopting the online way of doing things, offline still holds the key to success provided the power of technology and big data analytics is leveraged to make the old medium smarter.
 Sharda is a management graduate from <keyword id="78512" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="IIM-Calcutta">IIM Calcutta</keyword> and an Electrical Engineering graduate from IIT Bombay. He has been a star in academics since his early school years, achieving state ranks in class 10th and 12th and securing place on Institute’s Honor Roll of IIM Calcutta. He has also worked as strategy consultant with Bain &amp; Co. and Tata Strategy Management Group. Meanwhile, Sudhanshu Goyal also an IIM Caclutta graduate of 2015 batch has already served as CEO of a prominent manufacturing firm in steel industry. He joined his family business struggling against Global Recession of 2008, after dropping out from a premier Institute to help his father and led its turnaround at an early age of 18. 

	“The contrasting backgrounds of me and Neeraj led to long and aggressive debates nights after nights during product conceptualization but now we realize that it has helped create a sophisticated offering as both of us approach things from two different angles and then converge to an understanding with the virtues of both”, says Sudhanshu.
 Their venture has already earned awards and recognitions in its name like Hot Pitch Kolkata award from the prestigious startup network TiECON. They were among top 40 globally in <keyword id="154460" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rice-University">Rice University</keyword> b-plan competition, among top teams in Tata Social Enterprise Challenge and multiple international competitions conducted by IIM Calcutta. 

	The duo raised an angel fund for product development and building initial traction following which the team strived hard for 15 months to deliver a perfect product for customers. Having achieved the first milestone, they are now in talks to raise a seed fund from able investors to take this to the next level.

How two IIM Calcutta graduates are helping brands reach out to 90% people, and that too OFFLINE

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>This is the time of year when we're bombarded with very serious (and often depressing) movies&#xa0;vying for Academy Awards nominations. 2016 is no different, with Martin Scorsese's "Silence," Denzel Washington's "Fences," and the indie "Manchester by the Sea" taking up a lot of the conversation.But thankfully, there are still some new movies to leave you happy, and one is the remarkably touching "Lion."It follows the incredible true story of Saroo Brierley, who at five years old while begging at the Khandwa train station in Burhanpur, India, falls asleep in a train car and finds himself in Calcutta, 930 miles from his hometown. After surviving as a street kid and eventually being adopted by a couple in Australia, 25 years later, Brierley finds his birth mother with the help of Google Earth.Australian director Garth Davis caught wind of Brierley's story in a 2013 article producers Iain Canning and Emile Sherman handed him while he was directing episodes of "Top of the Lake" for them."As soon as I read the article I fell in love with the story," Davis recently told Business Insider.Interested in making a movie about Brierley, the producers rushed out to get the life rights (Brierley's book about his experience, "<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Long-Way-Home-Memoir/dp/0425276198" target="_blank">A Long Way Home</a>," would not be published for another year), while Davis flew to India to meet Brierley and his family."We found out that '60 Minutes' was going to India to take Saroo's adopted mother to meet his birth mother. I tagged along on that trip," Davis said.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>It was&#xa0;the first of numerous research trips Davis took&#xa0;to India, where he retraced Brierley's journey back when he was five years old.Later, writer Luke Davies was hired for&#xa0;the script and took a trip to India, too. Then the two met up at Davies' house in Los Angeles and in front of a very large whiteboard began to develop the story for "Lion." Around that same time, actor Dev Patel ("Slumdog Millionaire") began to come around the house, too."He was there fighting for the role from the very beginning," Davis said.But Davis was already having doubts about how to cast the Saroo role."There wasn't an actor that I could think of that was the person in my mind," he said. "That was a problem."So, even though Patel was one of the first actors to show interest, he was nowhere near the top contender."I had to catch up to him a little bit," Davis said with a laugh of Patel. "His passion was really important. You just want to make sure that every person on your set wants to be there and is really passionate about the role. Because you just can't get the work to that level otherwise. So it went a long way that he was fighting for the role and his passion was there and his commitment was there."The path of "Lion" from idea to production went at breakneck speed. Davies spent six months on the script, completing in May of 2014. Davis, along with producers Canning and Sherman, hopped on a flight to the Cannes Film Festival weeks later where the Weinstein Company bought the <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/cannes-kings-speech-producers-snag-705574" target="_blank">worldwide rights for $12 million</a>. Shooting began in August."It was a project that never stopped," Davis said.Though Davis was conflicted about casting the adult Brierley, he also had to find the five-year-old Brierley.A four-month talent search led to Davis casting Sunny Pawar, whom he and his team found in Mumbai. Though Pawar didn't have any acting experience, Davis said, "It became pretty clear that he was our boy."But Davis said getting Pawar to be the emotional center of the movie was the biggest challenge of making "Lion."<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>"Some of the scenes are quite complicated," Davis said. "He's doing maybe four things in a scene, three of those things may be difficult things like running to a door, asking to get off a train, looking scared - all of that will be in one shot. So it's a lot of things for a five-year-old child to pull together in a scene. It's incredibly difficult to get a child at that age to do that. I don't know how to explain it. It's very sobering."Much of the film is through the eyes of young&#xa0;Brierley, and Pawar's performance keeps you on the edge while also being uplifting.&#xa0;Brierley's&#xa0;dedication to finding his home is unwavering.The movie is also strengthened by supporting roles from Nicole Kidman playing Brierley's adoptive mother and Rooney Mara as adult Brierley's girlfriend.Davis - who's working on his next movie, "<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5360996/?ref_=nm_flmg_dr_1" target="_blank">Mary Magdalene</a>," starring Mara in the lead role - is happy for the awards attention surrounding "Lion,"&#xa0;but he said that was never the motivation."We made this because we were so moved by the story," he said. "This is just a movie of passion."&#xa0;That, and they wanted to satisfy the request of Brierley and his family, who have been fully supportive of the movie from the beginning."They wanted to make sure the story gave people courage to love and open up the question of adoption," Davis said. "They just wanted their story to be told very honestly."&#xa0; "Lion" is currently playing in select theaters.<div></div> <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/10-details-may-have-missed-episode-8-westworld-2016-11">10 details you may have missed in episode 8 of 'Westworld'</a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="9sNGtxNzE6wsU-A_q66BI0vSZqkt96XP" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

The incredible true story behind the year's most touching Oscar contender, 'Lion'

Up until three years ago, Sidhartha ‘Sid’ Mallya, son of troubled businessman and liquor baron <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=vijay+mallya&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Vijay Mallya</a> was famous for two things- having the ‘Mallya’ surname and for briefly dating <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=bollywood&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Bollywood’</a>s heartthrob <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=deepika+padukone&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Deepika Padukone</a>. 
 
Additionally, his party boy image and outspokenness on the internet only furthered the media scrutiny. 
 But that was the <keyword id="590881" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Sid-Mallya">Sid Mallya</keyword> we knew three years back. 
 
Surprising one and all, he left India and the business empire he would have inherited from his father and moved to Los Angeles- away from the glaring spotlight to give acting a chance. 
 
Like any other struggling actor there, Mallya went for numerous auditions, participated in workshops and did some work for <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=andrew+garfield&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Youtube</a> before enrolling himself in a one-year master’s programme at London’s prestigious Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. 
 
Cut to a year later and it seems that the transformation of Sid Mallya is now complete. 
 Having graduated from acting school on June 24 and eagerly awaiting the release of his debut film <keyword id="1947799" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Brahman-Naman">Brahman Naman</keyword>, a coming-of-age sex comedy, directed by Kolkata-based indie filmmaker <keyword id="266184" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="Q">Q</keyword>uashiq Mukerjee, popularly known as Q (Gandu, Tasher Desh), Sid Mallya, the actor is here to stay. 
 
 
(A still from Brahman Naman) 
 Apart from Mallya, the Indo-British co-production written by Naman Ramachandran also stars <keyword id="2690392" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Shashank-Arora">Shashank Arora</keyword> (of <keyword id="1349343" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="titli">Titli</keyword> fame), Chaitanya Varad, Tanmay Dhanania, Anisa Butt and stand-up comic <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=biswa+kalyan+rath&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Biswa Kalyan Rath</a>. 
 
Having already won accolades globally when it premiered at the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=sundance+film+festival&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Sundance Film Festiva</a>l this January, Brahman Naman is all set to release to a global audience on July 7, exclusively on <keyword id="128682" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Netflix">Netflix</keyword>. 
 
In an exclusive chat with Business Insider, 29-year-old Sid Mallya opened up about his passion for acting, Brahman Naman and his disinterest in Bollywood movie offers. 
 
 
Would you say gravitating towards acting as a career choice was a natural progression? 
 
You could say so. Growing up in England and going to a boarding school, I was always part of school plays and loved doing anything that was out there in terms of performance, from plays and recitals to debating. Infact, I was barely 4 years old when I did my first play. It probably stems from being an only child and always commanding the centre of attraction. Regardless, I loved being on the stage, so in a way I knew acting was my calling. But, hailing from a business family, I knew I had to give business a go before I pursued anything else. 
 
 
How did your parents feel about you choosing acting over business? 
 
Understandably, there were expectations of me following into my father’s footsteps —but again that’s a very Indian thing; the assumption that the son or daughter has to take over the reins of a family-owned business. 
 
Lucky for me, both my mother and father were very supportive and understanding of my decision because they knew I was determined and would give it my all. 
 
 
How would you describe your experience at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama? 
 
It has been the most incredible year. The training I’ve received here is unbelievable. There were 20 of us in this master’s course and in 10 weeks we’ve been reprogrammed entirely. It’s been a very holistic approach to acting in that we’ve been taught to work through the body and how everything is connected. For instance, we’ve been taught that if your feet are out of place, it means your knees are out of place, which means the hips are out of place, which means the diaphragm is out of place, which means your chest is too tight, which means that your voice won’t come out properly. I was never a big believer in holistic medicine and all that but now I’m a complete convert. 
 
You know, this is why they say that British drama schools can’t be matched, especially the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. This 110-year-old institution boasts of immensely talented British actors as alumni. It trained actors like Dame Judi Dench, Laurence Olivier, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=andrew+garfield&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Andrew Garfield</a> and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=kit+harrington&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Kit Harrington</a>, among others and getting the same level of training as these people has not only changed me as a performer but also gives me some legitimacy so once I’m done people know that I’m of a certain standard. 
 
 
What made you want to debut with Brahman Naman, as most people wouldn’t consider it as an usual debut vehicle? 
 
When it comes to Bollywood most often people, especially star kids are launched into starring roles. They all start as lead characters and not a as supporting cast. On the other hand, none of these models exist in the West- where you are required to build up a body of work and progress from smaller to larger things and keep climbing your way up. 
 
Likewise for me, a debut was never about being launched into a starring role and it was never about Bollywood. Infact, Bollywood never enticed me. 
 What I loved about this film was the diverse set of people I would get to work with from <keyword id="215119" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Steve-Barron">Steve Barron</keyword> to Q. Steve had directed Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in 1990 and it was one of my favourite films growing up. I’ve also seen bits and part’s of Q’s Gandu and immensely loved it, so to get a chance to work with people I admire in my first film itself was part of the reason I agreed. 
 
Moreover, while my role in the movie isn’t a leading role, it’s a nice-sized role to start my career off. It gives me credibility and is something I’d be proud of in years to come. At the end of the day, people need to be realistic- I’m not an established actor and I’m working my way up like anyone else in the industry and I’m very fortunate for this to come. 
 
 
(Sid Mallya in a still from Brahman Naman) 
 
 
Tell us a little bit about your role in the film? 
 
Ronnie is the antagonist – he’s not Naman’s (played by Shashank Arora) nemesis but his rival. My character is that of a cricket-playing jock, who is rich, goodlooking, popular and gets all the girls. There’s a very clear difference between Shashank’s character who has all the answers up in his head but has zero clue when it comes to social interactions and mine. Mine’s the opposite. He’s great at social interactions but not the sharpest. 
 
 
What was the hardest part about your role? 
 
The character of Ronnie was wrote in a way that it was implied that he had spent some time in England, but I couldn’t speak in the out and out British accent I have- so I did have to tone it down slightly but at the same time the hardest part was making sure he didn’t come across as comical. 
 
 
How was it working with Q? 
 
It was fantastic. Q will always have a special place in my heart as he’s the first director I ever worked with and if I’m lucky enough to have the same relationship with the rest of directors that I had with him I’d consider myself fortunate. He’s on point, energetic, very precise and doesn’t take himself too seriously and that’s what the film is about. 
 
When you have people like that, it automatically instills a sense of ease and the level of comfort that you could share with him was the best thing about him. Q also isn’t afraid to push the boat he does what he wants to do. Films are art and art is subjective. You show the same Picasso painting to 100 people and you get 100 opinions and Q isn’t afraid of opinions- he just does his thing. The people who create the best art are the ones that are unafraid. 
 
 
 
(Sid Mallya with the cast and crew of Brahman Naman at <keyword id="81686" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="Sundance-Film-Festival">Sundance Film Festival</keyword> 2016) 
 
 
Brahman Naman has been labelled as an intelligent sex comedy and also been touted as India’s American Pie. How did you feel about the storyline of the movie? 
 
Set in Bangalore in the 80’s, Brahman Naman is an intelligent, fast-paced, beautifully written comedy about a set of quizzers travelling to Calcutta for a competition while wanting to lose their virginity in the process, So, yeah it involves teenage boys and lots of sex. 
 
In one of the interviews that Q and Naman gave at Sundance, they said that nowadays the youth are always on their mobile phones either on Twitter or Instagram but back in the day none of this tech existed. Now we take selfies. Back then, teenage boys would think ‘Why would anyone want to take our picture?’ So, they would find alternative forms of amusement for themselves. That’s what the storyline is about. It’s a storyline where boys are going to be boys. What works for it is the fact that it is so relatable. Everyone, regardless of where they grew up knew a Naman. To summarise, the movie is about friendship and a bunch of awkward boys trying to do what boys do! 
 
 
What are your expectations from the movie when it releases globally on July 7? 
 
Brahman Naman will be like a breath of fresh air – it’s very different. It is also Netflix’s first ever Indian original. The platform has such global prestige and if they’re willing to hedge this obviously it’s going to do very well. It’s also such a relatable story so I’m hoping it will do very well. 
 
 
Do you have any other projects lined up? 
 
I did a film last summer called Homecoming. Small role, but I got to work with a superb director, acting opposite some great people. Getting the opportunity to do even one scene is invaluable. My focus now is finishing school and then getting back on the audition trail. 
 
 
So does that mean we’ll never see you in any Bollywood movie? 
 
Not at all. I mean, I could’ve put some money together and launched myself in a Bollywood movie if I wanted to, but that’s not what I want to do. I don’t relate to commercial Indian films at all. I want to build credibility, not be given a role in a movie because I’m related to someone in the industry. I'm not for Bollywood and Bollywood is sadly not for me. 
 
Brahman Naman premieres on Netlix this July. Watch the movie's teaser here:

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