The tragic tale of the passengers of a Japanese ship called Komatu Maru used to transport 376 Indians to Canada 94 years ago but which after reaching Vancouver in May 1914 was not allowed entry into the city for two months and forced to return to India into the hands of British Indian Police who killed many passengers is to come alive on the big screen.

The vessel was hired by Gurdit Singh who was a rich Malaysian Sikh to transport the Indians who had reached Hong Kong by a steam ship from their country.

Deepa Mehta, the Indian film maker settled in Canada is to direct the film titled as 'Komatu Maru'.

 A new aspiring actor is also getting a good break into the film world by this film.

Vinay Virmani who has just passed out of the Lee Strasberg Theatre, a Film Institute in New York will be introduced in the role of Mewa Singh who is Canada's first Sikh martyr.

Mewa Singh was an immigrant living in Vancouver who killed the British police officer William Charles Hopkins who was instrumental in not letting the travelers in Komagatu Maru make an entry into the territory of Canada.

The police man also had a role to play in the assassination of the Khalsa Diwan Society gurdwara secretary Bhag Singh.

 Mr.Hopkins was sent by the British rulers of India to keep an eye on the Indian revolutionaries living in Canada.

The life tale of Mewa Singh from an innocent young lad to that of a frustrated angry man seeking revenge for the cruel deaths of members of his community will be shown in the movie.

Deepa Mehta says that as she wanted a fresh face to enact the role of Mewa Singh, she selected Vinay because of his talent, eagerness and passion.

Vinay said that he is eagerly looking forward to being a part of the movie and that it is both incredibly exciting and slightly daunting to be given the challenge of playing a historical figure of such significance.

Hariom Entertainment owned by Bollywood star Akshay Kumar is co-producing the film.