Sayani Gupta’s Global Footprint Expands: Ross Butler and Marc Evan Jackson Join Her US Feature Debut Arya!

Sayani Gupta is achieving remarkable milestones in a single season. Shortly after her directorial debut Aasmani—a deeply personal short film following a 60-year-old grandmother, her 10-year-old granddaughter, and their cherished powder blue Fiat—was selected for ten film festivals across multiple continents in just two months, her debut US feature film Arya has expanded its cast. Actors Ross Butler (Riverdale, 13 Reasons Why) and Marc Evan Jackson (Brooklyn Nine-Nine) have officially joined the project in prominent roles alongside Gupta. These dual achievements underscore her growing presence as she moves seamlessly between acting, directing, and producing in both Indian and American cinema.

In Arya, written and directed by Neil Tuli, Sayani stars as the titular character—a disciplined piano teacher from a prestigious Indian conservatory who reluctantly accepts a position in northern Minnesota. Aiming to rescue a struggling school band program while furthering her career goals back home, her arrival triggers unexpected complications, forcing Arya to confront her personal insecurities. The role continues Gupta’s commitment to portraying complex, culturally nuanced characters while marking her first time carrying an American independent film as the lead. Butler and Jackson join a strong ensemble cast that includes Arjun Gupta, Adi Roy, Kyra Leroux, and Iqbal Theba, with the story centered around Gupta’s performance. Additionally, Sayani serves as an executive producer on the film alongside Ross Butler.

Written and directed by Neil Tuli, Arya also serves as his feature directorial debut. The timing of the project is particularly significant, coinciding with the worldwide festival run of Sayani’s directorial debut Aasmani—which she also wrote and produced—screening in cities from Washington D.C. to Tokyo to Kerala. Together, these projects showcase an artist who has spent over a decade establishing depth in Indian entertainment and is now expanding into international territory—both as an acclaimed director and as the lead of her first American feature film. Few actors achieve such broad creative scope in a single year, and Sayani Gupta is accomplishing it across all fronts.

By Keerti Kadam