Writer-director Ananyabrata Chakravorty’s debut feature Kaisi Ye Paheli to have its World Premiere at the prestigious film festival for diaspora, New York Indian Film Festival, to be held from June 20-22, 2025.
The film selected in the Competition Section and Nominated for Best Screenplay and Best Debut Film will have its premiere at Village East by Angelika on June 21.
The film is produced by Take Pictures founded by Ananyabrata Chakravorty and Nishu Dikshit is a dark comedy and a unique murder mystery about a lonely mother’s endless pursuit to bond with her disrespectful son, set in a small town in the hills of Northeast India.
The film features an impressive cast. Sadhana Singh, remembered for her iconic debut film Nadiya Ke Paar, returns to the silver screen in a lead role after decades; Sukant Goel, known for his roles in Netflix originals like Kaala Paani, Ghost Stories, and Monica O My Darling, steps into his first feature film as the male lead; Rajit Kapur, 28 years after his iconic performance in Byomkesh Bakshi, makes a comeback as a Bengali detective; and Chittaranjan Giri, known for Farzi and Gulaal, portrays a character from the Northeast.
Apart from writing and filmmaking, Ananyabrata also has acted in Varun Grover’s All India Rank, and plays an eminent freedom fighter in Ram Madhvani’s historical series The Waking of a Nation.
Elated to be selected at NYIFF, Ananyabrata Chakravorty says, “For a film that wasn’t tailored for festivals, being recognized by a prestigious one like NYIFF is a huge validation of our efforts.”
Talking about the casting Ananyabrata adds, “Sadhana ji was on my wishlist for her beautiful motherly charm, but I knew she chooses her roles very carefully, and it’s an honor that she chose our film for her comeback. And for the role of the veteran Bengali detective, there isn’t a better actor than the man who immortalized Byomkesh Bakshi. It’s incredible how these wishes came true simply because they believed in our script.”
Director’s note
Everyone has a mother. There’s no other way to come into the world.
While she is often seen as a symbol of love, care, and sacrifice – celebrated across all forms of literature – she is also someone who, at times, stands in the way of our privacy, independence, and identity in ways we rarely acknowledge or talk about. She is a paradox.
Through this film, I have tried to observe her more as a human being with basic, universal desires like love, care and respect, especially from the child to whom she gave something as precious as life itself.
About Ananyabrata Chakravorty
Ananyabrata, a writer-director from Assam and now based in Mumbai, holds degrees in engineering and business administration. His debut feature, Kaisi Ye Paheli, follows his short films 90 to Win and Naukri. He also authored the novel Split Second and wrote Hindi lyrics for Ricky Martin’s Vente Pa’ Ca.
About Take Pictures
Take Pictures is a boutique production house based in Bombay, dedicated to telling original stories with a distinct take. It is founded by writer-director Ananyabrata Chakravorty and producer Nishu Dikshit. Kaisi Ye Paheli is their debut feature film.
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