'I was taking 'ma' to Cannes': Manju Mai aka Chhaya Kadam on wearing her late mothers saree to the film festival

Chhaya Kadam expressed that wearing her late mother's saree to the film festival was like bringing her mother along to Cannes.

Chhaya Kadam, loved for her memorable performances in movies like 'Laapata Ladies' and 'Madgaon Express,' recently debuted at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival. She attended for her Malayalam film 'All We Imagine As Light.'

Directed by Payal Kapadia, the film has attracted considerable interest as it marks the first Indian entry in the main category (Palme d'Or) at Cannes in 30 years.

Chhaya Kadam on wearing her late mothers saree to 2024 Cannes Film Festival

In a conversation with Brut, Chhaya Kadam opened up about the experience of wearing her late mother's saree to the film festival. "Two days before I left for Cannes, I saw the saree and said 'I couldn't take you with me but I will wear your saree in Cannes," Chhaya said while explaining the significance behind her debut outfit at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival.

About the saree

Chhaya took to Instagram and shared pictures of her look at the French Riviera. She revealed in the caption that she always dreamt of taking her mother on a flight but couldn’t do so while she was alive but metaphorically did it by wearing her saree and the Maharashtrian nath as her look for Cannes.

She wrote in Marathi, "My dream of taking you on a flight remained unfulfilled....but today I am content that I brought your saree and nose ring to the Cannes Film Festival by flight. Still, Mom! I wish you were here today. To see all this. Love you, Mom, and miss you a lot."

About the movie

'All We Imagine As Light' revolves around Prabha, a nurse, who receives an unexpected gift from her long-estranged husband that makes her uneasy. In the meantime, her younger friend and roommate, Anu, is desperately trying to find a quiet spot to be with her lover. Eventuality, the two women take a road trip to a beach town where they find space for their dreams and desires to flow.

In 2021, Kapadia won the Golden Eye for Best Documentary for 'The Night of Knowing Nothing'. She is a graduate of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune. In the past, she has directed movies such as 'Watermelon, Fish and Half Ghost', 'The Last Mango Before the Monsoon' and 'Afternoon Clouds'.

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