Indian docu-film on WWI featuring French actress screened in Delhi

The French embassy in Delhi recently opened its gates to guests who came to attend the screening of the docu-fiction film 'Farewell My Indian Soldier' by director Vijay Singh. The film is about Indian soldiers who fought in France and Belgium during World War I. Said the French ambassador, Alexandre Ziegler, "I met Vijay in Paris a few months ago and he spoke to me about this film, which I think portrays Indo-French relations in a new light.We became friends and I thought that in times like these, when we want to spread the message of friendship, the screening of this film would be great."
Vijay said that it took him a long time to complete the film as it required intense research on the subject. "I had to search through rare archives, historical testimonies, 100-year-old war songs and 600 letters that were written by Indian soldiers about their experience in France. The presence of 1,50,000 soldiers in Europe is a virtually unknown fact of history," he said.

Guest appearance
Among guests who attended the movie screening were Amitabh Kant and his daughter Vedica Kant, who’s also a part of the film. Vedica told us, "I wrote a book called 'If I Die Here, Who Will Remember Me?’ India and the First World.' It was completed in 2014 and Vijay was simultaneously working on a film. He wanted the film to be a docu-fiction feature, so he wanted people who knew the subject to be a part of it, and that’s when he asked me to shoot with him," said Vedica.

French actress Discovers new type of Indian cinema
This was the first film with an Indian director for French actress Paloma Coquant, and she said that before doing this film, she thought Indian movies were only Bollywood films. "The Indian movies we talk and hear about in France are only Bollywood movies. This one was very different. Vijay explained the subject, and docu-fictions, to me. I had to do a lot of research on war, Indians and Indians in France. After doing this film, I would love to do something in Bollywood, if anything comes my way," said Paloma.