Principal photography is set to get underway March 1 on “Chheledhora,” a Bengali-language thriller from writer-director Shieladitya Moulik.
The Indo-American co-production, starring Swastika Mukherjee, will film across locations in Itanagar and Ziro in the northeastern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh.
Moulik, whose previous work includes the “Sweater” and “Surjo,” centers the film on Brishti, a divorced woman – flawed, wounded and largely misread by those around her – who impulsively “steals” her daughter for a birthday celebration, only to find the child genuinely abducted. An unexpected discovery sets off a volatile chain of events that sends Brishti on a life-altering journey. The film weaves together family drama, thriller elements and dark humor, with a morally complex female protagonist at its center, and is aimed at the international festival circuit.
“‘Chheledhora’ is a story about broken parents discovering the courage and selflessness they didn’t know they possessed,” said Moulik. “I’m deeply interested in flawed people who are still capable of love. This film may unfold like a road journey with unexpected twists and turns, but at its heart, it’s about healing – about how children, often unknowingly, become the moral compass for adults. It’s a very intimate story about second chances and rediscovering one’s humanity.”
Mukherjee brings a wide range of character work to the role, with credits spanning Dibakar Banerjee’s “Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!” for Yash Raj Films, Buddhadeb Dasgupta’s Telluride and Toronto title “Janala,” Prime Video series “Paatal Lok,” Netflix’s “Qala,” and most recently a gangster turn in “Kaali Potka” for ZEE5.
“Brishti is not an easy woman to like, and that’s what moved me,” said Mukherjee. “She is impulsive, wounded and deeply flawed, but her love for her daughter is instinctive and fierce. I was drawn to the vulnerability in her – the way this unexpected journey forces her to confront herself. At its heart, this is a very tender story about motherhood, forgiveness and finding strength in the most fragile moments.”
The film is co-produced by India’s Handyyman and Sita22 Films, which operates across India and the U.S. Handyyman’s previous credits include the streaming show “Hawa Badle Hassu” and the Indo-Italian-Swiss co-production “Interdependence.” Sita22 Films is a new production company founded by Anindita (Ann) Mukherjee, who spent four decades as a corporate executive at global companies.
“Shieladitya and I go back to our early advertising days, including our first NFDC Film Bazaar in 2014 with ‘Mrs Scooter,’ his first feature – which built a strong creative shorthand between us,” said Protiqe Mojoomdar of Handyyman. “When I read ‘Chheledhora,’ I had this urgent instinct to come on board because the script had emotional depth and commercial energy, and with Swastika attached early, we knew we had a winner.”
Added Ann Mukherjee: “Throughout my four decades as a corporate executive at global companies including PepsiCo, S.C. Johnson and Pernod Ricard, I’ve seen how creativity is the oxygen to growth. ‘Chheledhora’ drew me in because it places women and children at its emotional core – portraying both their vulnerability and resilience. Funding and co-producing this film reflects the kind of socially-conscious, emotionally-layered stories I want my new production company to champion, in order to give voice to those who are innocent and voiceless.”
Italian cinematographer Vincenzo Condorelli, whose credits include “Cobalt Blue” and “Songs of Paradise,” will lens the film amid the dramatic terrain of Ziro Valley. The crew includes line producer Suven Kumar Das (“Chitrangada”), creative producer Jitin Hingorani (“Call Me Dancer”), production designer Somanwita Bhattacharya (“The Hunt: The Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Case”) and costume designer Ajopa Mukherjee (“Fish, Sweets, & More”). Production is expected to run through the end of March, with additional casting still to be unveiled.