A new independent film is bringing Hollywood actors to Duluth.

If you’ve driven past Mr. D’s or the Kom-On-Inn in Duluth lately, you might have noticed movie trailers and film stars. An indie movie called ‘Arya’ is being filmed in our backyard.

The film is about creatives with vastly different cultural backgrounds coming together and discovering more about themselves in the process. Minneapolis-based writer Neil Tuli is making his directorial debut on the movie, which is partially inspired by elements of his own life

He said many of his friends and family are “ridiculously” disciplined musicians.

“What if one of them, like my mom or one of these artists had stayed in India, had dedicated themselves to this discipline and to this life?” he said, standing on the sidewalk outside of Mr. D’s. “What’s a narrative kind of following that thread line that also pulls in some of the fish-out-of-water cultural experiences that I’ve had?”

The film combines that with classic Northwoods experiences, he said, like the “cold plunge with your in-laws.”

“So, I thought that there was some beautiful contrast with the way South Asian culture often approaches community,” he said.

Producers Pallavi and Keertana Sastry said coming filming in Duluth adds to the authenticity of the story.

“When you’re telling a Minnesota story, and you have a writer-director that lives in Minnesota, why would you not come to Minnesota and film?” Pallavi said.

She said the set employs between 35 and 40 people at a time, and about 90% of them are Minnesotan. One of the faces you might recognize around is Marc Evan Jackson, known for his roles in Brooklyn 99, Park and Recreation and The Good Place.

“What I love about Duluth is that it’s a proper city,” he said. “There’s all kinds of life and culture and nightlife and music and restaurants and bars and things, but also 10 minutes away, you’re in the woods. It’s a really special place in that regard.”

A local musician, Alan Sparhawk of the band ‘Low,’ is making his film debut in ‘Arya.’ You might know him for his song, ‘No More Darkness.’ He said it’s great to see familiar faces in the crew, and said the film is probably good for the city, not just economically, but for local “self-esteem.”

“I know that it’s a great place and I think we have a lot of underdog syndrome here,” Sparhawk said. “Duluth feels like we’re just sort of out of the way from everything else that’s going on in the world. So, it’s nice when the world comes here and we realize that we can be just as much part of it.”

Sayani Gupta plays the films titular character. The Indian actress is known for ‘Delhi Crime’ and ‘Article 15,’ and this is her first U.S. film.

“The journey that Arya has in the film ‘Aria ‘Arya’ is that she is a pianist, and she is a piano teacher back at a conservatory in India,” she explained. “Due to certain circumstances, she has to travel all the way to the other side of the world and comes to Minnesota to teach at this music school.”

She said sometimes the role almost feels like method acting because it closely mirrors what she’s experiencing filming in Duluth.

“It’s very strange, but in many ways, it’s been totally meta for me,” Gupta said. “It’s very often that Sayani and Arya come together and it’s a beautiful confluence.”

The film has changed a lot as they’ve worked on it, Tuli said, but Duluth has been a charming and welcoming place to ride out the journey.

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