Springfield Businessman Produces Bollywood Movie

Bipin Patel, the President and CEO of Springfield-based Speedy Mart Food Stores, has entered the film business. Through his newly-founded production company "Akshar Media Production," Bipin has produced "The Hangman, which is being released today, Jan. 29, in India, and will be screened in the United States and elsewhere next month.

Patel, trained as a textile engineer, is the chairman of Indus American Bank as well as the guiding force behind the convenience store chain Speedy Mart Food Stores. Producing films is a childhood dream that only now has come to fruition. He had previously attempted to make a movie with American Desi director Piyush Dinker Pandya, but that arrangement fell through.

The movie—described in early press material as an unconventional drama—follows the struggles of a guilt-ridden executioner who is torn between his profession and his attempts to create a better life for his son.

"I feel the story of "The Hangman" is bold and rich with Indian culture and at the same time maintains a worldwide appeal," Patel said in a release. "I want to produce movies which are different and "The Hangman" is an amazing dramatic film with such great actors."

The film, which stars Om Puri, Shreyas Talpade and Gulshan Grover, is an English language production. Patel's next film will be a comedy shot in the United States.