By
Vishal Bhidu
Terence Cardoz is an international film producer, promoting film tourism destinations by filming. He started off with a travel company in Mauritius, where now he has his own film production company in Mumbai and is well known in Bollywood, Hollywood, as well as other international film industries. Terrence’s latest venture, Girmitya, in association with Mauritius-based Varun Nunkoo releases on November 8, showcasing the plight of Indian ancestors to Mauritius. His Geet Gawai portrayed the Bhojpuri language in Mauritius. In this interview, he speaks about Indo-Africa and Mauritius collaboration, OTT, and the role of AI in cinema.
- “You’ve been on a roll with Divine Line Productions — with films like Nawmai and Pinoy Moto Club gaining global traction. Could you briefly take us through both projects, and is an Indo–African collaboration on the cards next?”
Nawmai is a tribal war action film shot across the scenic locations of North East India. The film is complete, and we are currently looking for distributors for a release in India and overseas — with OTT planned later. Meanwhile, Pinoy Moto Club is still in the production stage, to be shot in Philippines, an action flick with a social message around biker safety on the streets of Manila.
On Indo–African collaboration — we are delighted to associate with Mr. Varun Nunkoo on GIRMITIYA, based on the hardships faced by ancestors who were brought as slaves to Mauritius. The film releases in Mauritius on November 8. A key highlight is that it will show the world that Mauritius is more than a paradise island — and that the indentured labour from India helped lay the foundation of what Mauritius is today. The film will also be released on OTT for a wider global reach.
There is also growing interest from the South African industry to shoot in Mauritius. I personally know line producers who continue to promote the island and have already brought international films, along with South African films and TV series — partly because of the cultural familiarity with Indian ethnicity. With South Africa’s strong film ecosystem, there is significant scope for deeper collaboration.
2. You’ve recently worked on two films set in Mauritius, Geet Gawai and The Last Note – Ek Adhoora Raasta. Earlier, Karma won the Best Jury Award at the Indian Ocean International Film Award. Since Mauritius lacks a formal film industry, how does Divine Line Productions navigate the challenges of shooting on the island — while still tapping and nurturing local talent?
It has been a pleasure collaborating with Mr. Varun Nunkoo on his two films shot in Mauritius. Geet Gawai was a musical rooted in Bhojpuri culture, while The Last Note – Ek Adhoora Raasta marked the first Hindi–Mauritius joint venture — a high-octane courtroom drama that was well received. I am currently seeking overseas distributors for both films so they can reach global audiences. It was also an honour to receive the Best Jury Award in Mauritius for my film Karma.
3. The government has retained the Film Rebate Scheme, offering a 40% rebate on eligible expenses. To what extent will this incentivise producers to shoot on the island? And what additional measures, in your view, could further support filmmakers like you who are showcasing local culture?
The rebate scheme offered by Mauritius is 30-40 percent based on the film budget. With the new government in place, there has been a change in the management of MFDC and for the time being, I haven’t had the opportunity to know them both personally and professionally, unlike the last team.
We will now have to wait and see the initiatives, heralded by the new management team, to bring new film projects to the island. In the current context, Bollywood is not ‘doing well’ since most films are not able to recoup costs, while South movies are doing very well not only there and also the Hindi dubbed version, with more potential in bringing the latter to Mauritius since they have a good budget to make films.
4. Today, OTT is huge, mushrooming in countries like India, considered a booming segment and tapping into a younger audience, having a global audience spanning across the United States, Asia, and the African subcontinent. Are there plans to tap into OTT, and how can the segment enhance visibility to fresh talents with a possible joint venture between India-Africa and/or the US?
The OTT market has opened doors, creating jobs, nurturing many new and young talents, particularly in India since there are many aspiring actors and actresses land to Mumbai every single day to make it big in films. Now, OTT has welcomed such fresh young talent who have found work, coupled with several collaborations taking place in the Indian film industry and international studios to generate streaming content, offering seamless opportunities to artists.
5. Film festivals are intrinsic to brand visibility for filmmakers. Since you operate between Mumbai and Mauritius, what advantages do you see in hosting an international film festival in Mauritius — in partnership with the government — and positioning the island as a cinema hub linking Africa and Asia?
Hosting major film festivals in Mauritius is expensive, given the need for state-of-the-art venues and hospitality infrastructure for international guests. I’m sure smaller festivals have taken place on the island in the past and will continue. Festivals offer visibility and recognition, and awards make it easier for filmmakers to approach distributors with their content.
6. AI is the buzzword today — and we’ve just seen an AI-enabled Mahabharata release on JioStar via Reddy Studios. How do you see AI reshaping scriptwriting and filmmaking going forward? Are you also exploring AI in combination with cryptocurrency — especially for independent filmmakers and crowdfunding models? And finally — what projects are currently in the pipeline, and how do you plan to work with the MFDC to develop more local content?
AI has been a boon for the industry, especially since not many actors enjoy dubbing. With AI, actors can now lend their voice without being physically present during dubbing — and international shooting costs can be reduced by creating those environments on a Chroma stage.
As for cryptocurrency and crowdfunding, that model will not work in Mauritius, because filmmaking here is a high-risk business where recovery and profit are never guaranteed
I am associated with a Brazilian film Yahweh – the fallen God that will be totally in AI, and hopefully will start in 2026.
