'Banker to the Poor' coming to big screen

Marco Amenta is ready to develop "Banker to the Poor," the big-screen adaptation of Nobel prize-winner Muhammad Yunus' novel.

Vareity says the film is expected to shoot in Bangladesh in early 2010. Yunus is known best for developing the concept of microcredit loans given to poor entrepreneurs.

Yunus, who founded the Grameen Bank, will serve as a consultant and go over the final script, which Amenta is writing with Sergio Donati.

"Banker" will be an international co-production produced on a budget of a little more than $6 million. The trade says the film "will topline two Indian leads with international cachet as well as a Western star and local talent."

The recent success of "Slumdog Millionaire" has apparently become an inspiration for Amenta, who claims the film will promote a similar inspirational story.

Amenta's credits also include "The Sicilian Girl" and "One Girl Against the Mafia."