The upcoming film ‘Barah by Barah’, which has been shot on 16mm film, offers a unique perspective on life and death through the lens of a death photographer.
The film is set in Varanasi, and stars Gyanendra Tripathi of ‘Half CA’ fame and Geetika Vidya Ohlyan of ‘Thappad’ fame. The film has been directed by Gaurav Madan who met a photographer during a trip to Varanasi and found “immense cinematic potential” in the subject.
Talking about the film, Gaurav Madan said: "I hail from a small town called Jagadhri in Haryana. My parents had to let go of our ancestral home because the government decided to widen the adjacent highway. The house was razed in front of my eyes and we had to migrate to a drab housing colony.”
He continued: “Now, the entire town looks listless, like a big city clone. Progress is vital, of course, but there's a part of me that misses the old town charm and sense of nostalgia. This film is a personal story, one I believe will resonate with anyone grappling with change, told through the lens of a novel protagonist.”
The film had its India premiere at IFFK, Kerala and International premiere at the Shanghai International Film Festival. It also stars Harish Khanna, Bhumika Dube and Akash Sinha.
Writer-producer Sunny Lahiri said that the film's journey from shooting, its festival premiere to now its theatrical release has been "challenging yet magical.”
He said: "Balancing credibility and passion for storytelling, be it shooting on celluloid and on location amongst the rising tensions of cremation fires, smoke, mourners, all while navigating a resourceful production was a herculean task. The dedication of the cast and crew, who poured their heart and might into this film, was truly inspiring. I am incredibly proud of the film and am thrilled to finally bring it to the theatres.”
Produced and presented by Jignesh Patel's Amdavaad Pictures, and distributed by Shiladitya Bora’s Platoon Distribution, the film is set to release in theatres on May 24.
