Early this year I bumped into my friend Rima Kohli at Prithivi Theatre, Juhu, Mumbai. It is always fun to meet Rima who I always remember for the wonderful time I had with her in DC and New York. The hours we spent walking around Manhattan discovering the city were full of stories. Rima for me is this amazing energetic girl who is travelling across the world working on various NGO projects. I am always jealous of the kind of work she does and the places she goes to. Currently she is working with women in AFGANISTHAN.
So meeting her for me is always a pleasurable experience as I listen to her stories and imagine myself doing all those amazing thins some day. Meeting her was unexpected. I did not know she was back from New York and currently in Mumbai. After the exclamation of joy and hugs Rima started to talk.... and this time it was another story...
For two hours I was listening to her speech less, I could see a film unfold in front of my eyes. That night I could not sleep. This was a story that was exciting. Next day I called her. I told her I want to make a film inspired from her story and for that I needed to meet her again. I needed more details. She said YES!
Thus AFIA was born. AFIA in Arabic means vigour, vitality, Divine protection and fire.
AFIA is the story of a girl who returns from her training in Switzerland and starts working in the NGO sector. She discovers hugs misappropriation of funds and to her horror discovers everyone around her right to the white boss in Switzerland is connected.
A huge amount of money comes in every year from across the world into this sector. A large chunk of it however never reaches its destination. This film talks about an area that not too many people are aware of but pretty common. This flm asks for accountability.
AFIA will be shot in MUMBAI and DELHI. After “TERE BIN” in “BAS EK PAL” Mithoon and I will once again work together.
COME JOIN US AND BE A PART OF “AFIA”
- Onir
