India in Kazakhstan

A Lifelong Connection with Indian Cinema: From Early Introductions to Bollywood

Maira's connection with Indian cinema began long before formally establishing her company. In 2009, Marat Bisengaliev, then the newly appointed Music Director of the Symphony Orchestra of India and NCPA Mumbai SOI Music Academy, invited her to Mumbai. This visit proved pivotal, as Marat introduced Maira to prominent Bollywood producers, laying the groundwork for future collaborations.

Lifelong Love with Indian Cinema

Maira's collaboration with India extends far beyond professional endeavors. It began in her childhood, like many former Soviet Union girls, captivated by classic Indian films like "Zita and Gita", "Disco Dancer" and etc. Growing up amidst Indian cinema and music, she considers India an integral part of her life.

Fostering Cultural Exchange: The Kazakh Indian Film Festival

KARSAK XXI CENTURY, in collaboration with Maira's Indian partner Harshad BHAGWAT, aspires to organize a Kazakh Indian Film Festival in the future. This initiative reflects her personal connection to Indian cinema and her vision of fostering cultural exchange. She has visited Hema Malini's (Zita and Gita) house twice.

Hema Malini even sent a video message congratulating our nation on Independence Day.

Unforgettable Encounters: From Bollywood Legends to Renowned Directors

Maira has had the privilege of connecting with prominent figures in Indian cinema. Through her Indian partner Namrata Paralkar, she met Babbar Subhash, the director of the iconic film "Disco Dancer." Visiting his residence, she was enthralled by his stories about the film's success and even saw the memento of its 100-week theatrical run. Furthermore, through her producer partner Amit Kothari, she was contacted by the celebrated Indian director Rajkumar Hirani. Director Hirani had envisioned filming a portion of his project "Return Ticket" (working title of "Dunki"), starring Shah Rukh Khan, in Almaty near the Chinese border. However, during that exact shooting period, there was no snow. Sahil, Hirani s producer, and I even considered shooting at the top of a snow-covered mountain, which would have required transporting the crew and equipment by helicopter. Ultimately, this plan proved impractical, so they filmed that portion in another country. However, Director Hirani remains interested in filming parts of his future films in Kazakhstan.

Promoting Kazakhstan's Cinematic Landscapes in India

Maira's dedication to showcasing Kazakhstan's cinematic potential in India began in 2019. Invited by the Indian embassy in Kazakhstan, she attended the FICCI FRAMES event in Mumbai, where KARSAK XXI CENTURY actively promoted Kazakhstan's filming locations. Since then, Maira has consistently participated in the annual IIFTC Conclave, India's premier film location showcase, alongside her Indian business partner Harshad Bhagwat, who is the director of this event. Through this ongoing initiative, KARSAK XXI CENTURY continues to highlight the captivating beauty and diverse filming possibilities Kazakhstan offers.