Cinema VinesIndian actress Sayani Gupta is stepping onto the U.S. screen for the first time with the independent feature film Arya, a project written and directed by Neil Tuli. The movie is currently in production in Duluth, Minnesota, where principal photography is underway.
Gupta will portray the title character, Arya Sinha, a disciplined piano teacher who trained at a prestigious Indian conservatory. According to the synopsis, Arya reluctantly accepts a job in northern Minnesota to help revitalize a struggling school band program. While she pursues this opportunity, she also hopes to advance her career ambitions back in India.
However, the harsh northern climate and unfamiliar surroundings challenge Arya’s tightly controlled approach to life. The story follows her as she confronts hidden insecurities and begins to redefine what success means to her.
Gupta’s career has spanned film and television, with notable roles in Delhi Crime, Axone, Parched and The Hungry. Her breakthrough came in Shonali Bose’s Margarita with a Straw, where she played a blind Pakistani‑Bangladeshi queer student activist; the film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2014. She later earned an International Indian Film Academy Award nomination for her performance in the Hindi socio‑political drama Article 15, which is now streaming on Netflix.
For Tuli, Arya marks his feature directorial debut. He previously held strategy positions at Netflix and Illumination. The film is produced under his banner American Haathi, alongside Pallavi and Keertana Sastry of Adda G Productions, known for Land of Gold.
In addition to acting, Gupta has dabbled in filmmaking, having written, directed, and produced the short film Aasmani. She also serves as an executive producer on Arya, adding another layer to her involvement in the project.
