Deepa Mehta to film new Sherlock Holmes-inspired comedy ‘Sher’ in Sri Lanka
Daily FT: Acclaimed Oscar-nominated filmmaker Deepa Mehta has officially announced her latest cinematic venture, ‘Sher,’ during a media briefing held on Thursday evening at Cinnamon Life, Colombo.
The upcoming film, a comedic reimagining of the Sherlock Holmes universe centred around the detective’s fictional Indian daughter, marks Mehta’s fourth production in Sri Lanka. The director-producer revealed that Nuwara Eliya, often dubbed “Little England” for its colonial charm and cool climate, will serve as one of the primary filming locations.
“Cinema is not just about entertainment — it’s a powerful tool for dialogue, identity and change,” said Mehta. “Sri Lanka has always inspired me with its depth of culture, storytelling traditions and cinematic potential.”
Pre-production is already underway on filmmaker Mehta’s highly anticipated new project, with casting expected to commence in July 2025. Principal photography is slated to begin later in the year and the film is currently targeting a late 2026 release.
While Mehta has remained tight-lipped about both the storyline and the cast, industry insiders suggest the project will deliver a powerful narrative designed to resonate with global audiences. Given Mehta’s previous critically acclaimed work, expectations are high for another bold and impactful film.
Filming will also take place across various Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts properties, praising the brand for its “vision, hospitality and cinematic versatility.”
“Film has the power to shape perceptions, attract global audiences and position Sri Lanka as a vibrant, visually stunning destination for filmmakers,” Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams Sri Lanka CEO and General Manager Sanjiv Hulugalle said.
“We are committed to supporting this vision — not only through events like Signature Weekend but also through our evolving properties.”
Hulugalle also highlighted exciting new developments at Cinnamon Bentota Beach, one of the group’s flagship resorts, which has been reimagined as a hub for creative residencies, art-forward experiences and high-end productions.
“Cinnamon Bentota is not just a beach resort — it’s becoming a creative canvas for filmmakers and storytellers,” he added.
Representatives from Sri Lanka’s Film Development Board and tourism sector were also present at the launch event and expressed strong support for the project. They emphasised the importance of hosting internationally renowned filmmakers like Mehta, citing the long-term benefits for the local film industry, talent development, and tourism.
OSL take:
Sri Lanka, which is an emerging business destination in the South Asian region, has attracted many individuals/businesses/investors for many reasons. As pointed out by the story above, for acclaimed Oscar-nominated filmmaker Deepa Mehta, Sri Lanka is a destination to shoot movies. The country’s tourism industry is on a steady growth path with clear signs of further growth and expansion, which in-turn has also expanded the tourism concepts being promoted by Sri Lanka to attract more foreign visitors to the country. The list of tourism concepts could now include Sri Lanka as a movie destination. Many Indian movies have already been shot in locations in Sri Lanka. However, all these latest developments in the movie industry indicate a further expansion in Sri Lanka’s tourism industry and thereby, a further expansion in the business/investment opportunities in the industry. The growing opportunities in Sri Lanka’s tourism industry range from the development of infrastructure and supplementary infrastructure facilities to meet the increasing demand as well as in sectors related to the tourism industry. Given the increasing business potential in Sri Lanka’s tourism industry, foreign businesses/investors could explore the expanding business/investment opportunities in the industry and related sectors.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/20250612/Z_4 |