EXCLUSIVE: Indian telecoms magnate BK Modi has thrown open the casting for the $40 million Indian epic he’s producing. Director Ashutosh Gowariker is looking for an unknown to play the 500BC Indian prince who became Buddha. Actors have until May 15th to submit to the Buddha-Movie website. “We felt that we needed a new face for our Buddha,” executive producer Michel Shane tells me.
Gowariker, who was nominated for a Best Foreign Film Oscar for Lagaan (2001), plans to start shooting in India at the end of August. Modi is fully-financing Buddha through his Spice Studios. ICM has packaged the project and is handling international sales. Client David S Ward, screenwriter of The Sting, has penned the screenplay, based on Kyra Pahlen’s biography of Prince Siddartha, The Warrior Prince. The Dalai Lama is even credited as “consultant producer.”
Shane, executive producer of I, Robot and Catch Me If You Can, is pitching the project as “Gladiator meets Lawrence of Arabia.” He says it’s much more action adventure Little Buddha, Bernardo Bertolucci’s take on the same subject. I dunno. I’m sure these projects sound great on the celebrity Buddhist circuit, when you’re saying “namaste” to Richard Gere or Uma Thurman, but I just don’t know how much appeal they have in Des Moines.






Buddha was born in Lumbini, which was a part of India at that time.
Nepal never existed at that time.
I hate these Nepalis who think they are more cultured…you only have to look at your country…cultured my god… Kathmandu is full of drug addicts and prostitutes..
so called abn, first look your face at mirror!!!! if you don’t know the history then go and read book. Little knowledge is dangerous!!!
so try to take detail knowledge…………
Focus on what topic is, if you don’t understand english, then go and take a class
Buddha was born in Nepal and world knows it.Why making fool to every body from this movie
Dear Friends,
The fact you all are arguing is the history. Not about the Dhamma that Lord Buddha taught.Why? Cos’ you want to be proud of being a native where Lord Buddha was born. It will end up as a war which is NOT Lord Buddha wants. You all should be proud of being good Buddhist practicing what our Lord Buddha taught and wants.
I have been dreaming about making an animated Buddha film because NO human being can act like Buddha. But animation must definitely and exclusively be grand royal and not like a cartoon animation. It needs the help of Great vulnerable Monks from different Buddhist countries.
Invite some famous well-knowledge-in-Dhamma Buddhist monks and let them choose few representative monks from them for documentary advice.
Due to the advanced technology you can create a great great special effects of what Lord Buddha revealed (when needed) His superpower.
Please stop war on where Lord Buddha was born.
With Metta,
The real Buddhist from Burma
If buddha was born in India then Tajmahal is of Nepal………….
Dear Frens, Kapilvastu is such a place whose half part falls in Nepal and half part belongs to India. There is no any doubt on this. But the fact is Buddha was born in Lumbini which belongs to Nepal. Maya Devi, mother of Gautam Buddha ‘actual name of Gautam buddha- Prince Siddhartha’ was on her way to home but she gave birth to Gautam buddha on the way, place of name ‘Lumbini’ so pls stop all these nonsense arguments and accept the fact that Gautam Buddha was born in Lumbini which belongs to Nepal.
Try to implement what Gautam Buddha taught rather putting effort on trying to prove it belongs to India which is not true at all.
Those people who has still doubt, pls visit Lumbini or search in internet, you will know the fact. Little knowledge is dangerous so be careful