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    The Indian Eye
             Newsmakers of the Week                                                    AUGUST 21, 2026                                      39

            non-credit academic programs. His re-                                                       SAYANI GUPTA
            sponsibilities will also include academ-
            ic policy, Association to Advance Col-                              Actor to debut in US feature film ‘Arya’
            legiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
            accreditation  preparation,  and  other                                   ctor Sayani Gupta is all set
            areas  of  academic  administration.                                      to  make  her  US  feature  film
                Srivastava said he’s  grateful for
            the opportunity to serve the College                                Adebut with ‘Arya’, report-
                                                                                ed  Deadline.  Sayani Gupta, who is
            in an expanded capacity. “I look for-                               known  for  her  work  across  ‘Axone’,
            ward to working with Dean Beldona                                   ‘Four More Shots Please!’, ‘Margarita
            and our faculty, staff, and students                                with a Straw’, with feature in the lead
            to contribute to its continued growth                               role as Arya Sinha in the film.
            and success,” he said. Srivastava has been part of the leadership team for Michi-  Written and directed by Neil Tuli,
            gan Tech’s Tech MBA and Master of Engineering Management programs since   the film focuses on Arya’s clash with
            2019. During that time, he helped introduce accelerated degree options, expand   her chaotic new environment, forcing
            online education, and strengthen efforts related to student recruitment, success,   her to let go of control, confront her hidden insecurities, and embrace a new
            curriculum development, assessment, and accreditation.              vision of success.
                Recognized for his research on strategic management and technological in-
                                                                                    “She is a disciplined piano teacher from a prestigious Indian conservatory,
            novation, Srivastava has published extensively in prominent academic journals,   who reluctantly takes an assignment in northern Minnesota, hoping to rescue a
            including the Academy of Management Journal, Strategic Management Jour-  struggling band program, as well as fuel her career ambitions back home,” states
            nal, Strategic Organization, and Journal of Management. He has also contrib-  the official synopsis, as per Deadline.
            uted to editorial boards and held visiting academic appointments at institutions   Tuli, who is making a feature directorial debut with ‘Arya’, has held strategy
            such as Virginia Tech, Umeå University in Sweden, and the Indian Institute of   roles at both Netflix and Illumination.
            Management Lucknow.                                                     The film is also produced under his banner American Haathi, alongside
                Srivastava holds a PhD in strategic management from Virginia Tech, an MBA
            from Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology Allahabad, and a bachelor’s   Pallavi & Keertana Sastry (Land of Gold) from Adda G Productions.
                                                                                    Sayani Gupta also serves as the executive producer on the indie feature
            degree in civil engineering from the National Institute of Technology Durgapur.
                                                                                film. The actor found had her breakout role in Shonali Bose’s ‘Margarita with a
                                 PRIYANKA CHOPRA                                Straw’, where she portrayed a blind Pakistani-Bangladeshi queer student activist.
                                                                                    The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2014. She
                   Actor to star in ‘Bluefly’ with                              was also seen in ‘Parched’ and ‘The Hungry’, which also premiered at TIFF.
                                                                                Among other accolades, she was also nominated for an International Indian
                                Russell Crowe                                   Film Academy award for her role in ‘Article 15’.

                 riyanka Chopra is set to star                                                        SHWETA MAURYA
                 opposite Oscar winner Russell
            PCrowe  in  the  upcoming  sci-fi                                    CA Guv Names Executive for Office
            action thriller ‘Bluefly’.
                The film will be directed by Nim-                                           of Data and Innovation
            rod Antal and is scheduled to begin
            principal photography later this year                                      overnor Gavin Newsom has
            on Australia’s Gold Coast, as report-                                      announced the appointment
            ed  by  Deadline.  ‘Bluefly’  is  directed                          Gof Shweta Maurya of Camp-
            by Antal, known for Predators, from a                               bell as Senior Product Manager at the
            screenplay by David Frigerio (Beast), William Eubank (Underwater) and Car-  Office of Data and Innovation. The
            lyle Eubank (Muzzle). Highland Film Group is handling worldwide rights and   appointment reflects the state’s con-
            will launch sales for the project at the upcoming TIFF market.      tinued efforts to strengthen innova-
                According to the official synopsis, the story follows “Deep in the Congo, a   tion, improve the use of technology,
            grieving UN translator is pulled onto a black-ops mission to recover a downed   and enhance data-driven approaches
            aircraft that isn’t supposed to exist. As a Special Operations team pushes upriv-  within government operations.
            er through militia-held territory, the recovery becomes a descent, and the closer   In her new role, Maurya will contribute to the development and manage-
            they get to the craft, the clearer it becomes that they were never meant to bring   ment of digital products and initiatives aimed at improving public services and
            it home,” as quoted by Deadline.                                    supporting more effective government decision-making. Her appointment adds
                The film is produced by Michael Jefferson for Polite Society, David Frigerio   to the Office of Data and Innovation’s efforts to promote modern, user-focused
            for Broken Open Pictures, Deborah Glover for G2 Dispatch, Arianne Fraser   solutions and advance California’s commitment to delivering efficient, accessi-
            and Delphine Perrier for Highland Film Group, and Vanessa Yao Guo.  ble, and innovative services.
                Speaking about the project, Highland Film Group CEO Arianne Fraser   Maurya held multiple positions at Chime from 2019 to 2025, including Se-
            said, “We have a stellar cast led by Russell Crowe and Priyanka Chopra Jo-  nior Manager of Strategy and Operations and Staff Program Manager of the
            nas who will ignite the screen in this high-stakes, sci-fi thrill ride with layers of   Program Management Office. She was a Program Manager at Amazon from
            depth,” as quoted by Deadline.                                      2017 to 2019. She was a Mechanical Engineer at Randall Lamb from 2013 to
                Highland  Film  Group  COO  Delphine  Perrier  added,  “Bluefly  is   2015. Maurya earned a Master of Business Administration degree from George
            heart-pounding entertainment with a complex story full of unexpected twists.   Washington University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engi-
            With Nimrod Antal at the helm and our wonderful cast, we cannot wait to intro-  neering from the University of Colorado. This position does not require Senate
            duce this fantastic project to our global buyers.”                  confirmation and the compensation is $154,860. Maurya is a Democrat.
                Director Antal described the film as “an intense, character-driven thrill-
            er wrapped inside a bold science-fiction premise. It’s the kind of film I live to   To read more about Indian diaspora and Global Indians, log on to and follow
            make- grounded, propulsive, and full of dread- and I couldn’t ask for a better        our website www.TheIndianEYE.com
            cast or team to bring it to the screen.”

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