With over 23 years of experience in the film industry, He and his partner Denis O’Sullivan (BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY) formed Compelling Pictures in 2019, and I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY is the company’s debut release. Compelling Produced and co-financed the epic film independently and partnered with Sony/Tristar for worldwide distribution.
Compelling Pictures then produced and financed the feature film THE COLLABORATIONstarring Paul Bettany, Jeremy Pope, Melissa Barrera and Daniel Bruhlwhich wrapped shooting in October 2022 and is currently in post production. His partner O’Sullivan is also aproducer on the play by the same name, which had a sold out run in London at The Young Vic Theater earlier in 2022 and wrapped its Broadway run in February 2023 after multiple extensions. The play also starred Jeremy Pope as Jean-Michel Basquiat and Paul Bettany as Andy Warhol, and all three iterations have been directed by Kwame Kwei-Armah.
While with his previous company Waterstone Entertainment,Kalligheri produced and/or executive produced multiple titles including romantic thriller SUBMERGENCE starring Oscar-winning actress Alicia Vikander and Oscar Nominee James McAvoy and directed by multi Oscar nominee Wim Wenders, Thriller JOSIE Starring Sophie Turner, Dylan McDermot and Jack Kilmer, Action Adventure film BIG GAME starring Oscar winner Samuel L. Jackson, THE LETTER starring multi Oscar nominee Winona Ryder and Oscar nominee James Franco, and thriller HAPPY HUNTINGwhich was the multi award winning directorial debut of Louie Gibson and Joe Dietschwhich is one of the few films to maintain a perfect 100 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Kalligheri served as an entertainment industry consultant for NASA and was credited along with JPL, NASA and ISS with the first ever film premier in space (aboard the International Space Station) for the winning film of THE HUMANS IN SPACE ART PROJECT, of which he was an organizer and sponsor.
Kalligheri is also a frequent guest speaker and has participated on entertainment focused panels in many countries across the world.