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Newsmakers of the Week MAY 22, 2026 | The Indian Eye 35

purchase or sale of the company’s se- made in the last several decades has been inspired by the art of Amrita Sher-
curities, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer Gil. She taught me how to see. She absorbed the best European training to dis-
announced. till the soul of India in a way that no one ever had--it is this distillation that has
Parmjit Parmar, a/k/a “Paul Par- informed my own cinema from the beginning. The bravery of her palette, color
mar,” 55, of Colts Neck, New Jersey, and framing of the ordinary people of India has eternally moved me.”
had pleaded guilty on May 7, 2025, Producer Samudrika Arora shared, “Amrita Sher-Gil’s life and oeuvres re-
before U.S. District Judge Madeline flect the aspirations of the modern generation, where identity and unapologetic
Cox Arleo in Newark federal court to self-expression meet. There is something deeply human in the tension of com-
conspiracy to commit securities fraud. ing from two wildly different worlds--the challenge of belonging to both and
Parmar was sentenced to 60 months’ never entirely to either. What moved me to make this film is how Amri carried
imprisonment, three years’ supervised the best of each world within her and did not lose herself in the space between
release, and ordered to pay more than them. It is a privilege to bring this story to fruition alongside Mira, whose craft
$125 million in victim restitution. for telling cross-cultural stories is unparalleled.”
According to documents filed in Producer Michael Nozik added, “While the film is set between the two
this case and statements made in court: World Wars, Amrita is a character out of time and before her time--she is a
From May 2015 through September 2017, Parmar and his conspirators, in- true visionary artist and social revolutionary; her life story is a beacon of inspi-
cluding Sotirios Zaharis, a/k/a “Sam Zaharis,” and Ravi Chivukula orchestrated ration. With Mira’s direction, Anjali’s performance of Amrita seizes that spirit
an elaborate scheme to defraud a private investment firm and others out of of youthful curiosity and rebellion.”
hundreds of millions of dollars in connection with the funding of a transaction
to take private a healthcare services company traded publicly on the London NORA FATEHI
Stock Exchange’s Alternative Investment Market. To fund the transaction, the
private investment firm put up approximately $82.5 million and a consortium of Star to perform at FIFA World Cup
financial institutions put up another $130 million, for a total of approximately
$212.5 million. The coconspirators utilized fraudulent methods to grossly in- 2026 Opening Ceremony
flate the value of the company and tricked others into believing that it was worth
substantially more than its actual value.
Parmar and the conspirators sought to raise tens of millions of dollars in oronto: Nora Fatehi is set to
the public markets, purportedly to fund the company’s acquisitions of various perform and sing at the FIFA
operating subsidiaries. In reality, a number of those entities either did not exist TWorld Cup 2026 Opening Cer-
or had only a fraction of the operating income attributed to them. The conspir- emony, which will take place on 12th
ators funneled the proceeds of these secondary offerings through bank accounts June 2026 at BMO Field in Toronto,
they controlled and used the money for a variety of purposes that had nothing to Canada, marking another major mile-
do with acquiring the purported targets. The conspirators went to great lengths stone in her international journey.
to make it appear that these funds were revenue, concocting phony customers The appearance further cements
and altering bank statements to make it appear as if the funds were coming her growing presence on one of the
from customers. world’s biggest and most-watched en-
To perpetuate the scheme, Parmar and his conspirators also falsified and tertainment and sporting platforms.
fabricated bank records of subsidiary entities in order to generate a phony pic- Nora will join an exciting global
ture of Comrevenue streams and made material misrepresentations and omis- lineup featuring Alanis Morissette,
sions to the private investment firm and others. Alessia Cara, Elyanna, Jessie Reyez,
Michael Buble, Sanjoy, Vegedream,
PRIYANKA CHOPRA and William Prince, according to a press release from FIFA.
Meanwhile, the USA opening ceremony lineup includes global music icons
Mira Nair’s ‘Amri’ to feature Anitta, Future, Katy Perry, Lisa, Rema, and Tyla, making FIFA World Cup 2026
a spectacular blend of international music, culture, and entertainment.
Bollywood star recognised performer with a strong cross-cultural appeal.
Her inclusion in the lineup highlights her rising stature as an internationally
Having previously delivered a memorable showcase during FIFA World
umbai: Ace filmmaker Cup celebrations in 2022, Nora’s return to the global stage reflects the increasing
Mira Nair is coming up with demand for her as a performer who seamlessly blends music, dance, and stage
Ma new film, ‘Amri’, which is spectacle. This moment also stands out because of her dual role as both sing-
inspired by the life and art of Amrita er and performer, reinforcing her identity as a multifaceted global entertainer.
Sher-Gil, a pioneer in India’s modern Over the years, Nora Fatehi has built a strong association with internation-
art world. al stages and global sporting events, including appearances linked to the T20
Notably, the ensemble cast is led World Cup. With every performance, she has continued to strengthen her repu-
by Anjali Sivaraman as celebrated art- tation as a dynamic artist capable of connecting with audiences across the world.
ist Amrita Sher-Gil, alongside Emily Her upcoming act at the FIFA World Cup 2026 Opening Ceremony is ex-
Watson as her mother, Marie-Antoi- pected to be another defining moment in her global career. As she takes the
nette Gottesman, and Jaideep Ahla- stage in Toronto alongside internationally celebrated artists, all eyes will be on
wat as her father, Umrao Singh Sher-Gil. The film also stars Krisztian Csakvari Nora Fatehi as she brings her signature energy, music, and performance power
as Victor Egan, Anjana Vasan as Indira Sher-Gil, Jim Sarbh as Karl Khandala- to one of the grandest spectacles in the world.
vala, and Priyanka Chopra as Madame Azurie. Meanwhile, Nora Fatehi is also gearing up for the release of her I-Pop track
Priyanka Chopra also serves as an executive producer on the film. ‘Body Roll’ featuring Honey Singh, dropping Saturday. With its global appeal,
On Tuesday, the film’s first look was unveiled. the track has already created massive anticipation among audiences worldwide.
For Mira Nair, Amri is also a deeply personal film. Sher-Gil’s work has
been impactful on the filmmaker’s visual imagination, and the film reflects a To read more about Indian diaspora and Global Indians, log on to and follow
connection that is both artistic and profoundly felt. our website www.TheIndianEYE.com
Talking about Amri, Mira Nair, in a press note, shared, “Every film I’ve

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