A local film production company has embarked on a grueling journey to retrace the steps of the Mau Mau freedom fighters struggle and their collaborative interaction with the Indian dukawallahs or traders.
The more than KSh 25 million feature film is the debut production of Wide Angle Visions, a local film production company and will feature Kenyan actors Tony Njugunaof the Redykulass fame and Mehul Savani alongside bollywood film star of American descent Tom Alter.
Titled Muigwithania, the film is set on the original Mau Mau strategic locations in Kabete on the outskirts of Nairobi. Speaking when he confirmed the commencement of the movie shoot, writer and director Amit Tyagi said the film is being shot on high definition video format and is geared at telling the positive story of the Mau Mau struggle.
“Muigwithania is a story that sets out to correct popular misconceptions about the Mau Mau by helping the audiences understand the freedom struggle better and for the first time it brings out the role of the Indian community,” Tyagi said. “The film is set in a typical colonial village in Central province and features the inevitable Asian shopkeeper of the time as well as their role in facilitating the struggle.”
“In line with the production schedule, muigwithania will be ready for release ahead of Madaraka Day festivities and will provide a platform for local corporate to channel their support for the production effort through a number of opportunities including product placement.”
Told with a masala twist, the story of Muigwithania is set to make history as the first feature film about Asian migrants to Kenya and their social interaction frameworks that inevitably fuelled and sustained the freedom struggle.