Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; November 10, 2016)

Leena Yadav’s directorial debut, Parched, starring Tannishtha Chatterjee, Radhika Apte and Surveen Chawla, which brought the director several accolades, has paved her way into international borders. The 45-year-old filmmaker is set to direct Carol Polakoff and Daniel Dreifuss’ Hollywood project, Secret Sky.

Speaking about her new venture, Yadav tells hitlist, “I couldn’t say no to this heart wrenching love story. It follows two teenage boys in Iran, where homosexuality is considered a criminal offense, which can amount to death penalty. When the two reveal their true selves, they are imprisoned. The story follows a female lawyer who struggles to earn them freedom.”

Inspired by true events, the drama, which is currently in the scripting stage, will be written by Micah Schraft and Abdi Nazemian. “The casting process will begin in a few weeks. We are looking at starting the film in the first quarter of 2017,” Yadav says.