Asian Film Awards: ‘All We Imagine as Light’ bags Best Picture; ‘Santosh’ grabs two wins
Payal Kapadia’s Cannes winner ‘All We Imagine as Light’ and Sandhya Suri’s ‘Santosh’ emerged as the top winners at the Asian Film Awards.
Big things are brewing in Indian cinema! Fresh off her Cannes Grand Prix win for ‘All We Imagine as Light’, filmmaker Payal Kapadia is stepping into the producer’s chair for an exciting new Malayalam film, ‘Guptam’ (also titled ‘The Last of Them Plagues’).
And she’s not alone—Bollywood power couple Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal are also backing the project as producers, alongside ‘Kaathal – The Core’ director Jeo Baby and ‘All We Imagine as Light’ actress Kani Kusruti.
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The film is written and directed by Kunjila Mascillamani, a filmmaker known for her bold storytelling. It is ready to be showcased to investors at the CinéV Film Markets in Chandigarh from March 20 to 23. This move could open doors for a much-anticipated release.
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Payal Kapadia is popular known for her keen eye for compelling narratives, and was sold on ‘Guptam’ from the moment she read its first treatment.
“When I first saw Kunjila’s ‘Asanghadithar’, her impeccable craft and strong voice left me struck,” she shared. “As a woman, I have long struggled with the lack of diverse female representation on screen. Reading ‘Guptam’, I knew this was a film I had to produce. A single mother battling a society that sees her as an anomaly is the reality of countless women around us. I grew up seeing women like Sethulekshmi of ‘Guptam’.”
Also Read: From ‘Pink’ to ‘Ziddi Girls’: Must-watch films & shows on women and their power!
Given her history of telling deeply personal, socially relevant stories, it’s no surprise that Kapadia sees this film as an important addition to Indian cinema.
Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal, who have been making waves as producers with their unique project choices, are equally happy to be part of ‘Guptam’.
“As producers, we deeply resonate with Kunjila’s script. It exposes the insidious violence against women veiled as ‘culture,’” the duo said in a joint statement. “In ‘Guptam’, a woman’s decision to simply exist on her own terms unsettles many in her homeland. It is a theme that transcends borders. We have long admired Kunjila’s work for its originality, and we are excited to embark on this journey with her.”
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