'Singham Again', 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3' major blockbusters in Australia: producer Anupam Sharma

New Delhi: With Indians being just two-three per cent of Australia's population, it's a matter of pride that Bollywood films like Singham Again and Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 are turning out to be blockbusters in the country, says Sydney-based filmmaker Anupam Sharma.

Punjabi movies are also gaining market share in Australia, he pointed out.

"We recently had Singham Again, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, all the major blockbusters. But one thing is very exciting, it's the Punjabi films.

"They're touching million-dollar box office, which is unheard of. We're (Indians) just two-three per cent of the population (of Australia). And they're punching above their weight," Sharma told PTI in an interview.

He was speaking on the sidelines of the recently concluded Film Bazaar, held alongside the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa.

According to trade website Box Office Mojo, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 and Singham Again earned AUD 899,742 and AUD 819,651 in Australia upon release last month.

The filmmaker said Punjabi producers have approached him to co-produce films in the language with Australian banners.

Punjabi film Honsla Rakh, starring Diljit Dosanjh, earned AUD 639,107 upon release back in 2021 at Australian box office. Amrinder Gill's Chal Mera Putt 2 collected AUD 643,309 in 2020, as per Box Office Mojo.

"If this is the box office they are getting, combined with the grants we are getting from Screen Australia (government agency), they're just loving it.

"Everyone is surprised because Australia has a very small film industry. Population of Australia is a bit around Mumbai's population. So for them to be sustaining on Indian films is something very proud for us," he added.

Australia was the focus country at IFFI Film Bazaar this year.

Sharma, who helped in the production of Dil Chahta Hai, Heyy Baby, and Salaam Namaste in Australia, said the local government saw how these Indian movies were promoting the country and that's how talks to bring the talent from both the regions together started progressing.

"All this combined with a co-production treaty being active has created the most fertile grounds to share stories between two cultures...

"At the same time, as a filmmaker, I'm excited because outside India, particularly with diasporic Indians and people of diverse backgrounds, it is a big movement to tell our stories ourselves. We have had enough people from the West coming and telling us our stories." Sharma also thanked Screen Australia, a federal government agency charged with supporting Australian screen development, production and promotion, and other Australian film resources.

He also spoke about his 2015 feature directorial debut unIndian, which starred Indian actor Tannishtha Chatterjee and Australia cricket great Brett Lee in his first film role.

The Sydney-set film revolves around Will (Lee), who teaches Australian English to immigrants, falls in love with Meera (Chatterjee), an Australian woman of Indian origin and a single mother.

Lee may be a former Australian speedster to many cricket fans but Sharma said he always knew him as a "performer" after doing a TV commercial and a series with him.

"The moment he said yes, we had the film funded in four days, all by Indian fans, high net worth individual fans of his from Australia... Then, the search began for a really good actress to compliment him, someone who was a star as well as an actor. But not a diva. And we couldn't have got someone better than Tannishtha Chatterjee for that," he recalled.

He is next set to produce Bidjara Kumari, billed as the first film to explore Australian Aboriginal and Indian cultures. Also on board are Richard Jemison and Jodi Bell, who are Aboriginal First Nation producers.

The story follows a First Nation girl Tasha from Australia who comes to India in search of her father.

"For me to come on board with two amazing humans on a very creative story and a shared story between two of the oldest cultures of the world is exciting."