Shakti Shetty (MID-DAY; September 27, 2014)

Even as the world becomes a smaller place, it turns out that the lines between film industries are also getting blurred. Neetu Chandra, for one, is over the moon as she has earned the distinction of being the first Indian actress to star in a Greek feature film. Titled Block 12, the film originally from Cyprus, is being screened at the ongoing Jagran Film Festival.

Directed by Kyriacos Tofarides, the film showcases the actress in a peculiar role. Neetu plays an abstract goddess of love in this family drama. For this film’s shoot, she spent a month and half in Cyprus. Turns out it was Anurag Kashyap who recommended her name. “Anurag had put forward some other actresses’ names as well. Fortunately, I got to discuss the film with Kyriacos on Skype for a while, and loved the script. That’s how I decided to be a part of this project,” says the actress.

Neetu says that there is a small but significant Indian diaspora in the island country. She adds that Block 12 revolves around a family that is tearing apart due to the economic downturn. “Just like us, Indians, Cypriots — be it Greek Cypriots or Bulgarian Cypriots — too are family-oriented. They love to be this big happy family but due to financial constraints during the post 2008 recession, some families were straining under pressure. My character in this film helps with the family connect,” she reveals.

(Block 12 will be screened at 11.15am today at Cinemax Versova Screen 1.)