Neel Patel is a producer and writer, known for the films, “Attack of the Unknown,” “Space Captain,” and “Callista.” Patel’s new film, “Mr. Deshee” focuses on what Patel says is, “A very hot topic in the USA presently.”
That topic is illegal immigrants coming from India to the United States via Mexico. Patel says, “Most people think that only Mexicans cross American boarders rather than people from all over the world.” Patel continues, “However, people go to South American, and then they cross the border to get to the USA. There are many people from India that have come in illegally, and I’ve heard their stories which have inspired me to make a film on this concept.”
Patel, who is writer/director/producer and actor in the film, started filming in November 2018. He filmed around Mohave County in Kingman, Lake Havasu, and Bullhead City during November. In December, he also shot some scenes on Las Vegas Boulevard, and following that, he went to India in February through March 2019 for additional shoots. In the beginning of filming in November, Kingman Mayor Jenn Miles did a clip for the first shoot in Patel’s restaurant, “India Spice N Bar located in Kingman where he also owns the “Lido Motel.”
Now, the film is ready, and will have a first screening in the Cannes Film Festival on May 19, 2019 in France. The CFF is an annual festival which previews films of all genres, including documentaries from all over the world. The festival was founded in 1946 and is one of the big three, alongside the Venice Film Festival and the Berlin International Film Festival. Patel said about the festival, “I am very excited because this is the first film in which I am writer, director, producer and actor, and it’s going to Cannes. It’s amazing.”
Patel is planning to have a premier in Kingman and Las Vegas around July or August. Patel has lived in Kingman for the last 5 years. He was born in India where he earned a master’s degree in chemistry, but he is also a film-maker who says that he learned this craft purely from experience.
Patel’s craft has led to this drama of a struggling but enthusiastic man from India who hopes to come to the USA and find success. He gets involved with a Mexican agent who brings people to the USA for a substantial fee, but it turns out that the agent traffics illegal immigration. After a dangerous river crossing, he is taken to Kingman, Arizona where a string of unfortunate events thwart his finding freedom and fortune. Will he ever realize his hope? We will have to wait for the movie showing to find out.
The film, in English, is 101 minutes in length, directed by Patel, with writers Ruchika Mandhyan and Patel, and starring actors, Devanny Pinn, Nailya Shakirova, and Kolio Kolev. In an interview regarding the film, actor Pinn said that the film’s subject matter, the pursuit of the American dream, is incredibly timely and important.
