Guwahati: For the first time an India-Bhutan joint feature film collaboration is on its way for a commercial release with production teams and actors of the two countries working together to strengthen socio-cultural ties between the two countries.

Singye (Lion) is slated for commercial release in October in the small Himalayan kingdom and later in Assam.

The joint collaboration has contributions from the Northeast with involvement of Strawberry Magic Production - a Guwahati-based production house with its owner Biplob Doley working as the director of photography - and Project Bhutan Entertainment, a production house of Bhutan .

The film has Bollywood actor Thakur Anup Singh who played the main antagonist in Bollywood flick Commando 2. He will be seen in Singye playing the main villain. According to co-producer Doley, who hails from Assam, it will be an out-and-out action thriller.

In the film, Singh will lock horns with Sangay Tsheltrim, a former Mr Asia silver medallist and gold medallist at the 50th Asian Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Championships.

Doley said, "This is for the first time an Indian and Bhutanese feature film collaboration is under way. The film is in post-production stage. This is a great effort for better socio-cultural ties between the two countries. Tsheltrim will portray an undercover agent busting a drug cartel. He infiltrates the cartel and finally takes on the villain played by Singh."

The local film industry in Bhutan hires foreign technicians and the budget is somewhat slightly more than what is invested for an average Assamese film. Being a tax-free country, a Bhutanese film producer can expect 90 per cent returns.

Doley said, "The film will be in Bhutia language, but are we are planning for subtitles in English. We are also planning for its release in Assam and probably in Bengal depending upon the feasibility. The film is slated for an October release in Bhutan and later in Assam. Bhutanese film industry headed for commercialisation in 2000. The film industry has its roots in the seventies."

Doley was involved as a director of photography in earlier Bhutanese projects such as Thank You Sir which was considered to be the most expensive Bhutanese film with around 750 cast and crew members.

It earned rave reviews and garnered a healthy box office collection as well. He is credited to be the first Assamese to work in the Bhutanese film industry.

After Thank You Sir, Doley was also involved in Baeyul-The Hidden Paradise, another Bhutanese film on gangs in Bhutan. Doley directed Turdaksok Mimag, a Mising film where he used a technique called "guerrilla filmmaking".