MUMBAI: Swarovski Entertainment and Adlabs founder-turned-producer Manmohan Shetty are funding Shekhar Kapur‘s Paani (Water) to the tune of $30 million (around Rs 1.4 billion).

Paani (Water) is a love story set in a mega city in a future where precious H2O has all but run out and corporations go to war over its control. The city is divided into two conflicting halves, in which the upper city hoards all the water and drip feeds the slums of the lower city. A girl from the upper tier meets a water rat boy and falls in love against this backdrop.

One of the key drivers behind the project is an aim to bring the growing global issue of a world without clean, drinking water and the threat to humanity it reps to the top of the global political agenda.

The project has been in Kapur’s mind since ten years which was liked by many to whom he had related. Danny Boyle and Shetty‘s both insisted that Kapur make the film and finally managed to convince him.

Kapur plans to shoot in November with additional backing from WalkWater in Singapore, Dubai and on large purpose-built sets being designed by John Myrhe.

Kapur said he plans to make the $30 million budget look like $150 million and will aim to seal a negative pickup studio deal with the aim of ensuring that the finished film is seen by as many people as possible.