Evening Shadows, a feature film directed by award-winning filmmaker and gay rights activist Sridhar Rangayan has been creating waves at its screenings, first in Sydney and then in Bengaluru with houseful shows.
While the main story is of a mother-son bond that has to stand the test of hidden truths, it is more about traditional families in small-town India. More than a coming out gay film, Evening Shadows places women at its center; oppressed women caught up in a patriarchal system.
The five women who weave the story together try to smile through their tears to touch your heart and raise important questions about the status of women in small-town India. A subject like this granted a UA certificate for the first time, empowers both women and LGBTQ communities.
Mona Ambegaonkar who plays the main protagonist says women are the fountainhead of civilization. Yamini Singh says she accepted film because it is about choices. Written by Saagar Gupta and directed by Sridhar, Veena Nair, another character in the film plays Lata, a woman married to a gay man hiding in the closet. Disha Thakur, the fourth protagonist to raise her voice who plays Neela, the bride-to-be and finally the oldest of them all Kala Ramanathan who plays the matriarch of the family.
Premiered at the Bengaluru International Film Festival, Evening Shadows was screened in Amsterdam at the Roze Filmdagen film festival and also at Outfest Fusion in Los Angeles last week. Director Sridhar Rangayan will be attending the European Premiere of the film in Amsterdam along with producer Karim Ladak.
@bhawanasomaaya