A still from ‘Chithha’
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Actor Siddharth’s acclaimed thriller drama, Chithha, directed by SU Arun Kumar, has been selected as one of the three Tamil titles that will be screened at the upcoming edition of the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne. The other two titles are Samyuktha Vijayan’s Neela Nira Sooriyan and Ajai Vishwanath’s short film, Starch.
Released on 28 September last year to glowing reviews, Chithha starred Siddharth, Baby Sahasra Shree, Nimisha Sajayan and Anjali Nair in pivotal roles. It told the gut-wrenching story of a man whose dotting niece goes missing mysteriously. An intricately told film, it was praised for how it handled a sensitive topic.
With songs composed by Dhibu Ninan Thomas and Santhosh Narayanan and background scores by Vishal Chandrashekhar, Chithha was produced by Siddharth’s Etaki Entertainment.
Meanwhile, Neela Nira Sooriyan stars director Samhyutha Vijayan in the lead, alongside Gajaraj, Geetha Kailasam, Manimegalai, Masanth Natarajan, and Haritha. According to a press release, the film talks about the complexities of human relationships.
“With its nuanced characters and gripping storyline, the film explores themes of love, loss, and redemption, offering audiences an unforgettable cinematic experience. Aravind, a high school teacher in a South Indian town, secretly undergoes hormone treatment to transition to Bhanu, a woman. Pressured by parents into an unwanted marriage, Bhanu finds the strength to live openly with support from friend Haritha. Challenges at school unfold as Bhanu fights for recognition,” reads the press release.
A still from ‘Neela Nira Sooriyan’
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
Ajai Vishwanath’s Starch is a short film starring Gayatri Patel Bahl, Vandit Bhatt, and Vinita Belani. “A young Indian mother trying to keep her immigrant family afloat in Australia decides to steal from her visiting in-laws. The film tells the story of an individual’s journey through adversity, highlighting the resilience and strength of the human spirit,” the logline reads.
Hosted by the Victorian State Government annually, the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne runs from August 15 to 25.
A still from ‘Starch’
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
