Bollywood Romance ‘Weekend’ Eyes First Indian Feature Shoot in Russia’s Yakutia as Picture Perfect Signs MoU With Sakhafilm, Saidam Baryl (EXCLUSIVE)

Indian romantic drama “Weekend” is eyeing a shoot in Russia’s remote Sakha Republic, also known as Yakutia, after producer Vivek Singhania’s banner Picture Perfect signed a memorandum of understanding with local outfits Saidam Baryl and Sakhafilm to explore taking the production there. The three-way MoU was signed during the recently concluded 9th Yakutsk International Film Festival. If the film goes ahead, it would be the first Indian feature shot in the region, which lies in Russia’s Far East and has built a reputation for some of the country’s most singular indie filmmaking. The story follows Varun and Kaya, two young people whose chance meeting turns into a weekend that alters their lives. The project was first developed around Indian locations, and the producers are now weighing a reworked version that draws on Yakutia’s scenery and culture. Possible locations include the regional capital Yakutsk, the Lena River, the Lena Pillars – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – and isolated rural villages. The region’s summer white nights could also give the romance an unusual look. “Indian cinema has always had the power to take audiences to extraordinary destinations,” said Singhania, producer and founder of Picture Perfect. “Yakutia offers landscapes, culture and visual possibilities that Indian audiences have rarely experienced on screen. We are excited to explore how ‘Weekend’ could bring these two worlds together through a story with universal emotional appeal. I believe this collaboration could open a new and exciting chapter between Indian cinema and the filmmakers of Yakutia.” Under the proposed setup, Saidam Baryl and Sakhafilm would be the film’s principal local production partners. Picture Perfect will explore development and look for Indian production partners. Saidam Baryl will weigh local production, creative adaptation and coordination on the ground, while Sakhafilm will look at contributing infrastructure, technical resources, local know-how and access to filming locations. Stepan Burnashev, the filmmaker and producer who heads Saidam Baryl and serves as executive director of the Sakha Filmmakers Association, said international co-production means more than just bringing foreign crews to Yakutia. “It is about creating meaningful creative partnerships, exchanging experience and telling stories that can connect with audiences across cultures. India has one of the world’s largest and most influential film industries, and we see great potential in working together. ‘Weekend’ could become an important first step toward a long-term relationship between our film communities.” Singhania and Burnashev started talking earlier this year, and Picture Perfect sent a formal letter of interest in June. The new pact brings Sakhafilm, the republic’s state film company, to the table as a prospective local production partner. Alexey Egorov, general director of Sakhafilm, said the region now has a homegrown industry built on skilled filmmakers, seasoned crews and one-of-a-kind locations, and that the company sees working with international partners as a way to keep it growing. “The possibility of bringing an Indian feature film to Yakutia is particularly exciting, as it could open new opportunities for our local professionals and introduce our region to millions of Indian moviegoers,” Egorov said. “We hope this partnership will become a starting point for future collaborations between the film industries of India and Yakutia.” The partners are also eyeing a tourism bump. Singhania’s earlier films and web series featured locations including Germany, London, Paris, Dublin, Bangkok and Muscat. According to the producer, those titles sparked travel interest among Indian viewers at home and in the diaspora, with tourism boards logging more inquiries from fans keen to visit the locations. Next comes reworking the script for a Yakutia setting, working out production needs and lining up financing and Indian production partners. A location scout is being considered for 2027. The MoU is non-binding, and the money, the shooting schedule and how the co-production will be structured have yet to be settled. Singhania’s credits include Bollywood features “Na Tum Jaano Na Hum” and “Chura Liyaa Hai Tumne,” along with consulting producer roles on “Namastey London,” “Aap Kaa Surroor,” “Badass Ravikumar” and “Dishkiyaaoon.” His international work includes “Hexing,” “Karma: Crime Passion Reincarnation,” “Seal Team Six: The Raid on Osama Bin Laden” and “Indisch fur Anfanger.” Saidam Baryl, which focuses on independent films and international collaboration, is behind titles including “Black Snow,” “Yt,” “Aita” and “The Penthouse.” Sakhafilm has been involved in internationally acclaimed titles “The Lord Eagle” (2018), “The Sun Above Me Never Sets” (2019) and “Don’t Bury Me Without Ivan” (2022). The deal is part of a wider push by the Yakutsk festival to connect local filmmakers with overseas producers, especially from Asia, and to sell the region to foreign productions as a creative collaborator as well as a place to shoot.