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Independent film producer Ashok Nanda is preparing to bring his film, "Rivaaz," to the 2007 New York International Film Festival on July 19, 2007, and while the basis of the movie may be a shock to some, the topic may be all to common for those who are from the rural areas of India.

Although the film revolves around the notion of family prostitution in India, Ashok Nanda recently explained to the IANS that, at first, he was skeptical of the news:  "When I was told about it, I couldn't believe it.  I learned about it while I was in the US.  Somebody showed me a UNICEF report that stated that family prostitution is rampant in 376 districts in India."

Through his own research for his film, Nanda went on to describe the actual makeup of family prositution rings in India:  "The brother's bring customers and the fathers negotiate with them about money and everything.  Interestingly, these people don't consider it unethical and have no intention of stopping it."

"Rivaaz," which was shot on a hill station in Maharashtra named Wai, is based on a teenage girl, played by newbie Ritisha, whose father (Rajedra Gupta) prepares to push his own daughter into prostitution at the behest of her mother (Deepti Naval).

The location of the film was crucial to the film's integrity, as Nanda explained:  "I wanted to shoot it in a place which doesn't practice family prostitution for obvious reasons.  So I choose Wai.  I have shot the film with real villagers.  Initially they refused to act but when I explained the situation, they agreed."

Nanda went on to explain:  "It is not a documentary film.  I shot it in a semi-commercial format because I want people to come and see my film.  You can say that I have made the film without spoiling the flavour of art cinema."

Ashok Nanda produced the movie for Rs. 1.5 crore, and is planning to release the film in India sometime in September 2007.