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As Sanya-starrer Mrs is chosen as New York Indian Film Festival’s closing film, director Arati says tale of woman’s strength needs to reach the diaspora

Sanya Malhotra’s Mrs appears to be something of a festival favourite. Last year, Arati Kadav’s directorial venture had its world première at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, after which it was screened at the Palm Springs International Film Festival. Now, the drama—an adaptation of the acclaimed Malayalam movie, The Great Indian Kitchen (2021)—has been chosen as the closing film of the New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF) 2024 that kicks off tomorrow.

Kadav says that the cinephile in her would always catch up on screenings at the NYIFF. Having her movie screened at the same festival on June 2 then is a surreal moment. “I look forward to the films screened at the NYIFF every year. So, I feel privileged that we’ve been chosen as the closing film. With this film, our aim is to connect with Indian audiences living not just in India, but also abroad, and this platform helps us reach the diaspora,” she says.

Mrs tells the story of Richa, a dancer whose life is suddenly confined to the kitchen after she marries into a conservative family. To Malhotra, the Jio Studios drama—also starring Nishant Dahiya and Kanwaljit Singh—stands for a woman’s strength and resilience, while questioning patriarchy. The actor shares, “Playing Richa, a character grappling with the delicate balance between tradition and ambition, was an immense responsibility, given that it embodies the struggles of so many Indian women.”  

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