The Warrior Queen of Jhansi tells the true story of Lakshmibai, the historic Queen of Jhansi who fiercely led her army against the British East India Company in the infamous mutiny of 1857. From Queen Elizabeth to Queen Victoria, two-and- a half-centuries of East India Company rule will be reversed by its attempt to crush India’s Warrior Queen. Lakshmibai is known as one of the most prominent figures within the independence movement of India. The passion to free her province from colonial rule led this young woman to become one of the greatest generals of the Indian army, and to go down in history for her bravery, strategic acumen, and as a force to reckon with by the East India Company and the British Raj. The Warrior Queen of Jhansi is the story of the woman who lived and fought for the freedom of her people.
About
Cayenne Pepper Productions ("CPP") is a film production company based in New York.
CEO, Writer, Director and Producer, Swati Bhise of CPP is currently in post-production on her directorial debut, The Warrior Queen of Jhansi. Swati acted as Executive Producer and Associate Producer (India) of The Man Who Knew Infinity, an Ed Pressman production that premiered at the Toronto Film Festival and released globally in April 2016. CPP also distributed the film in India, in conjunction with PVR Entertainment. The Man Who Knew Infinity stars Jeremy Irons, Dev Patel, Devika Bhise, Toby Jones and Stephen Fry.
CPP develops its own scripts and film content and is currently developing content for a number of films scheduled to be released over the next 3-5 years. CPP focuses on films of social relevance, heritage, and outstanding stories of female protagonists and women’s empowerment. Our mission is to discover new talent and share stories that are both thought provoking and relevant to contemporary life.
Due to CPP’s in depth knowledge of India's culture and heritage, we specialize in Indo-centric stories and see ourselves as a bridge between the East and the West. Swati Bhise has been in New York City for 36 years, yet her performance and production background have kept her in sync with Asia (Hong Kong and India) and New York with a pulse on the India Market.
Team
Swati Bhise
Producer and Director
Swati Bhise has made her mark as a reputed Bharatanatyam Dancer by synthesizing key elements of classical dramaturgy into both traditional and contemporary choreography in the performing arts.
Devika Bhise
Executive Producer
Devika Bhise was most recently seen starring alongside Jeremy Irons, Dev Patel, Toby Jones, and Stephen Fry in The Man Who Knew Infinity, based on the book by Robert Kanigel.
Judy Caleb
Associate Producer
Having graduated with a Masters in History from Mumbai University, Judy began her career in Kuwait working for John Al Kuwait, Burgan Bank, and Alghanim Industries for 20 years, after which she relocated to Delhi and Goa.
Pema Bhutia
Personal Assistant to CEO and Filmmaker, Mrs. Swati Bhise
Pema Bhutia grew up in Darjeeling, India and graduated from Delhi University with a B.A. in the Arts. She started her career in the hospitality industry and worked for Hotels in India and Singapore until she moved to New York City.
Natasha Pithawala
Assistant to Director
Natasha Pithawala joined Cayenne Pepper Productions as the Assistant to the Director and continues to work with Mrs. Swati Bhise closely. Natasha was on the sets of “The Warrior Queen of Jhansi” both in India and Morocco.
Our Products
The Warrior Queen of Jhansi
Cast & Crew
Devika Bhise: Rani Lakshmibai
Rupert Everett: Sir Hugh Rose
Nathaniel Parker: Sir Robert Hamilton
Ben Lamb: Major Robert Ellis
Jodhi May: Queen Victoria
Derek Jacobi: Lord Palmerston
Behind the Scenes
NEWS
