An Austrian film starring an Indian actor speaking in German, an unprecedented project, is nearing completion in Vienna.

Written and directed by Indian-origin Austrian filmmaker Sandeep Kumar, the film titled “Happy” stars Mumbai actor Sahidur Rehman in the role of an illegal immigrant who is grappling with the fallout of a deportation notice.

Rehman, an alumnus of the National School of Drama, Delhi, was in Karan Tejpal’s “Stolen”, which had its world premiere at the 80th Venice Film Festival last year.

Kumar, whose last film was Mehrunisa, says the lead actor learnt the German language for four months before shooting began.

“I had first approached a busy actor from Mumbai to play the lead role in ‘Happy’. He liked the script but his other commitments prevented him from joining the project.

“Sahidur has done an incredible job,” Kumar told PTI on the sidelines of the 77th Cannes Film Festival.

“I had this idea in my mind since 2012,” says Kumar. “Most of the newspaper vendors on Vienna’s subways and other places are immigrants from the subcontinent, living a precarious life,” says the filmmaker, who is putting the finishing touches to “Happy”.

Kumar initially had the idea of ​​making a documentary in mind, but when he interacted with people and heard their stories, he decided to turn it into a fiction film. “I thought I would be more comfortable making fiction. Making documentary films is not my thing,” he says.

A large number of illegal immigrants were deported from Austria in 2023. “The time was right. I just had to tell the story,” says Kumar.

“Happy” revolves around the protagonist’s relationship with his nine-year-old half-Austrian daughter. “The film is about her struggle to find happiness for herself and her daughter amid the possibility of deportation from Austria,” says Kumar, who grew up in Delhi.

Kumar says, “The film also focuses on the people around the protagonist who have everything but still have to struggle to achieve happiness.”

Sandeep Kumar’s “Mehrunisa” starring late Farrukh Jaffer was screened at the International Film Festival of India Goa in 2021 before going to various other festivals.

“Happy”, backed by the Austrian Film Commission, which has films in both Hindi and English, will release in theatres later this year after being screened at a festival.