Come the month of May and everyone rushes to the Cannes Film Festival, some of them just to release their film posters at the Bazaar and claim that it was launched at the festival. Not all our filmmakers are so naïve, fortunately. Almost a decade ago, Kanu Behl’s debut film Titli premiered in the 2014 Cannes Un Certain Regard section and now Behl is set to have a World Premiere of his second film Agra produced by Saregama at the upcoming Directors’ Fortnight, an independent section of the Cannes Film Festival. Directors’ Fortnight focuses on independent films from throughout the world. It is a free-spirited, non-competitive selection open to all festival goers. Written by Kanu Behl and Atika Chohan Agra explores the sexual dynamics within a family, and the deep dystopian fractures created in a modern India, fast shrinking into pigeon-holed spaces.
Agra was developed at ‘PJLF Three Rivers residency program – in Italy, with the prestigious ‘Cinema du Monde’ film fund backing it. The film was also part of the FBR section of the Viewing Room at NFDC’s Film Bazaar, 2022. Says Kanu Behl, “Agra has been a deeply personal and difficult exploration for me. The film addresses male sexual repression and I am happy that we are finally initiating a dialogue”. Agra is the story of Guru, who lives in a small house with a large family. It is about lack of space, lack of privacy and everyone in the family is repressed and struggles for his expression of sexuality. Kannu Behl started his journey with Love Sex & Dhoka and is in the post production on his third feature Despatch starring Manoj Bajpayee.