Six performing arts students are starring in Family Party, a full-length feature film produced by writer and director Pari Mathur.

Mathur, who at 28 years old owns his own production company and creative agency, describes the film as a “coming of age romantic comedy [about] a group of high school seniors […] who want to go to this big concert with their friends but they’re actually stuck at this family party.”

The cast includes sophomores Vishal Vaidya and Jai Ahuja, as well as seniors Apurva Tandon, Rahul Nalamasu, Cecilia Lang-Ree, and Alice Tsui.

Mathur attended the Upper School fall play Hamlet and was impressed with the students’ performance.

“The [performances] and the conservatory program are so strong at Harker; I’d like to use that talent,” he said.

Vishal, playing the role of a senior named Nick, accredits his place in the film to his participation in Hamlet.

“The director, Pari, especially asked me to come audition because he saw me in Hamlet and really liked me,” he said.

Confident with her acting given her previous experience with school auditions and performances, Apurva, playing the role of Arti, explains that the audition process was rewarding and largely beneficial to her as an actress.

“I went in thinking, ‘Hey, this is just going to be a new experience to teach me how to audition for films,” she said. “I wasn’t expecting anything; I just wanted to see what it would be like, and it was really a lot of fun.”

Like Apurva, Cecilia was very comfortable with the audition process, which she claims was “different because [she] wasn’t familiar with the director.”

Excited to play her role as Tanya in the movie, Cecilia expresses her opinion on performing as a form of art.

“Every interpretation of the character, every interpretation of the text is different. You’re not just doing someone else’s work; you definitely have your own spin on it,” she said.

Vishal, however, believes that the directors are the true artists, as each production they direct is “new and hasn’t really been explored yet,” though he thinks that actors are responsible for executing the director’s vision.

Filming for Family Party begins during the coming spring break.