Bengaluru, Feb 1 (IANS): United States-based filmmaker Ajay Sarpeshkar's sci-fi thriller "Mandala: The UFO Incident", which has generated curiosity among the audience is all set for a pan-India release.

The film follows an Indian American on a quirky adventure as his rocket scientist girlfriend gets abducted by a UFO. With all fingers pointed at him and without evidence, all he has is the support of an eccentric retired investigative journalist.

With a background in engineering and technology, Ajay Sarpeshkar will debut as a director with Mandala, the first film of a planned multi-film series.

The film stars veteran Indian actors Anant Nag and Prakash Belawadi as well as rising stars Sharmiela Mandre, Samyukta Hornad and Kiran Srinivas.

After last year's Hindi mythological superhero blockbuster Brahamastra, Mandala is another ambitious film riding the local superhero wave within the Indian cinema industry.

The film's extensive special effects have been post-produced in world-class facilities in Singapore, France and the USA.

Ajay said "With this film, I wanted to kick-off the under-explored sci-fi genre in the Indian film industry. I'm grateful to have great actors come together to create this start to the franchise.

"I hope this and subsequent films will inspire the younger minds to space exploration, science and technology, while also making them curious about their heritage and culture." He adds, "I'm excited to have Platoon-One recognize the potential of this film and come onboard to release it world-wide. Shiladitya Bora and his team have a keen eye for indie gems and I'm glad to have them as partners in this exploration."

Platoon Distribution, the distribution wing of boutique film studio Platoon One Films, has ventured into Kannada film distribution with this movie.

Mandala will be releasing in cinemas in India and the US on March 10.