Priyanka Chopra is lending her star power to the global stage once again, officially boarding the Oscar-qualified Indian short film ‘We Were Here’ as an executive producer. Written and directed by Pranav Bhasin, the project has already made waves internationally, bagging over 20 awards across 80 film festivals, including honors at SXSW and the Palm Springs International ShortFest. By joining the team, Priyanka aligns herself with a high-profile roster of executive producers that includes acclaimed actor Andrew Scott and renowned playwright V.
The film offers a quirky and timely narrative set in a small Indian town, where three retired men decide to protest the rise of artificial intelligence by impersonating household appliances. The plot takes a sharp turn when one of their own children takes a job at an AI company, forcing the characters to confront their fears of becoming obsolete. Expressing her enthusiasm for the project, Priyanka stated that she was drawn to the film’s witty, refreshing take on a subject that feels incredibly relevant today, noting that she wanted to ensure such a brilliant and original vision receives the global spotlight it deserves.
Beyond its successful festival run, ‘We Were Here’ has been acquired by The New Yorker and is slated for a premiere on the publication’s official YouTube channel. For director Pranav Bhasin, the journey from a “silly idea” about uncles fighting AI to an Oscar-qualified contender has been surreal. He credited his “tribe” of accomplished executive producers for helping him navigate this milestone. With a talented technical crew and a solid production team, the film is now gearing up for a full-fledged Academy Awards campaign, aiming to resonate with audiences worldwide as it tackles the intersection of human connection and technological change.