TEHRAN – The production of “Falling in Love in Hanoi”, a project between Iran and Vietnam, has come to a halt as members of the Iranian crew have failed to get visas to Vietnam due to the new virus outbreak in the world.

“Based on our plans, the shooting was scheduled to begin in March but the Vietnam government declined to issue visas for the Iranian crew as concerns over the growing coronavirus pandemic worsen,” Iranian director Qorban Mohammadpur said in a press release published on Monday.

“The screenplay for the film was completed and approved by the Vietnam government with a slight change, however, we were informed about three weeks ago that no visas would be issued for us due to the new virus,” he added.

“The major part of the film was due to be shot in the country and the Iranian and Vietnamese members of the cast were selected, but we might be forced to make changes because of the delay in filming,” he said.

The film tells the story of a man named Ali who is suffering from depression ever since his fiancé was killed in an accident. Ali’s parents decide to send him to Vietnam to visit a friend named Ahmad in order to change his mood but several events are waiting to happen for Ali when he arrives in Hanoi.

Mohammadpur made his previous films “Salam Mumbai” and “The Devil’s Daughter” in India with casts of Iranian and Bollywood actors,

Photo: Iranian director Qorban Mohammadpur in an undated photo.

RM/MMS/YAW