Neil Shastri in two movie projects

Eighth-grader Neil Shastri has been back in St. Louis nearly a year after appearing in the Broadway show, "Bombay Dreams." But, his work in show business hasn't slowed down.

Last month, the movie "Little Manhattan" had its premiere opening in New York, with Neil appearing in the family film. The movie got a good review in the New York Times.

His part in "Little Manhattan" is a small one. But, he has the lead in a short-subject film, "Kali Ma," that's being entered in the Sundance Film Festival competition.

But, he won't be in the performances of "Bombay Dreams" when it comes to the Fox Theater next April. The play has been reworked for its road-show tour and Neil's character was left on the cutting-room floor, he said.

Since the second semester of last school year, Neil has been back at Sperreng Middle School.He's now in his final year at the middle school.

Next fall, he'll enter Lindbergh High School, unless something else comes up in the entertainment business. When he was appearing in "Bombay Dreams," he went to school in Chinatown at a school with a lot of other actor students.

Neil said, "I miss being in New York. But, I'm glad to be with my friends at Sperreng."

He's in the school's show choir, which will present the musical, "Oklahoma," this year. He's also planning to try indoor soccer this winter.

His work on the movie "Little Manhattan" actually happened while he was in New York appearing in "Bombay Dreams."

Neil said he plays the part of "a geek who is kind of weird." He's in the same karate class with the stars of the movie, Josh Hutcherson and Charlie Ray. Josh plays Gabe, an 11-year-old who gets his first crush on Rosemary, played by Miss Ray.

Neil said Gabe and Rosemary had been karate partners. But, Rosemary earns a "higher belt" in karate and gets a new partner just as Gabe was getting his crush on her.

"Gabe is paired with me and takes out his frustrations by tossing me around," Neil said.

About the film, the New York Times review said:

"As they ride their scooters past sexually provocative billboards and window displays, many New York children become aware of adult impulses too soon. The small-scale, perfectly acted family film 'Little Manhattan' drolly describes how the resulting neuroses complicate urges at the earliest possible age."

The more rambunctious New York Post headlined its review by saying:

"Preteen Crush and the City (But No Sex)"

That's a play on words referring to the grown-up TV show, "Sex and the City."

Neil said, "One of my friends in New York said she went to the opening of 'Little Manhattan' and said the theater was pretty packed."

About his part in the short-subject film "Kali Ma," Neil said he plays another "geek who gets beaten up all the time by a bigger kid in school." Everything comes out all right at the end despite a near drowning and other action, he said.

This movie filming was done in July this year. There were five days of filming, part in New York and the rest in Washington, D.C., where the director lives.

Neil's dark complexion helped him get his part in "Bombay Dreams." That musical told about India's "Bollywood" entertainment district. Neil's parents were both born in India.

But, he's finding out his looks can be useful in qualifying for other parts. For instance, in "Little Manhattan" he plays the part of a young Lebanese kid. "My agent says I can qualify as someone all the way from the Mediterranean region to Asia," he said.

"Opportunities in the entertainment business are getting more diverse," he said.

But, he's making sure he keeps current with the culture of India. He said he's taking Indian "tabla" drum lessons Indian "sangeet" voice lessons.

He's also continuing to audition for additional roles. For instance, last month, he took part in an audition in Kirkwood for another play.

Neil admits the transition back to Sperreng last spring had some rough spots. Some subjects from New York school didn't mesh with what was being taught at Sperreng.

"The language requirement at Sperreng was the hardest," he said. He didn't have a language class in New York.

"But, I passed somewhere in the middle of the class," he said. Of course, this year has been better because he's been with his classmates since the 2005-06 school year started.