04-06-2025
This Hindi movie to have world premiere at New York Indian Film Festival; director reveals why he chose dark comedy
The feature film Kaisi Ye Paheli, written and directed by debutant Ananyabrata Chakravorty (ABC), is slated to have its world premiere at the New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF), scheduled to run from June 20 to 22, 2025. He revealed they chose dark comedy and murder mystery because to 'connect with wider audience' as they make it 'palatable and accessible' and didn't want to take a 'serious tone while addressing a serious matter'.
'We are addressing a serious matter, and therefore didn't want to take a serious tone. It's only when we make something palatable and accessible that we are able to connect with a wider audience. Hence the exciting genres - so the audiences enjoy the story, before they take home the theme and begin a conversation around it,' Chakravorty shares in an exclusive conversation with
The film has been selected for the Competition Section and nominated for Best Screenplay and Best Debut Film. Its premiere will take place at Village East by Angelika on June 21.
When asked how the premiere selection feels, the director mentions, 'Maybe the word is validation, but it's more special because we didn't tailor the film for festivals. We could've made it to a good festival by following the usual themes and narratives that festivals expect from Indian filmmakers. But we didn't take that road. Instead, we went ahead with the story that we wanted to tell - our way. Getting recognised by such a reputed festival despite that is what makes it all the more special for us.'
Produced by Nishu Dikshit and Take Pictures, Kaisi Ye Paheli explores a lonely mother's attempts to connect with her disrespectful policeman son by helping him solve a murder. It is set against the backdrop of a small hill town in Northeast India and was shot in Sikkim. Chakravorty says, 'We have tried to address loneliness and the conflict between old mothers and their grown-up sons - which we feel doesn't get talked about much in our society and pop culture.'
The film features Nadiya Ke Paar fame actress Sadhana Singh, Kaala Paani actor Sukant Goel, and Rajit Kapur, who returns to the screen as a Bengali detective. Chittaranjan Giri takes on the role of a character from the Northeast.
"Sadhana is a natural performer. She has such a beautiful motherly charm, and I knew the moment I met her that she is the perfect actor to play the mother in our film - because of the uncanny mix of dignity and simplicity with which she carries herself. I had to put in very little effort towards directing her - just a narration and a couple of sessions on the intentions of each scene, and that was it - she got the character," Chakravorty adds.
