New Delhi: Indian filmmaker Anuparna Roy scripted history by winning the Best Director award at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival for her debut film, Songs of Forgotten Trees. Now, in an exclusive conversation with News9, she opened up about her big win. Her film, and more.
Q. How does it feel to create history at the Venice Film Festival?
Anuparna Roy: More than creating history, I would say it comes with a lot of responsibility—both as a filmmaker in India and as a global citizen. It definitely gives me a sense of pride, but it also keeps me humble, polite, and helps me evolve in life. I would say it’s a wholesome win for me—as a director, as a human being, and as a global citizen.
Q. What prompted you to tell the story of Thooya? Has it been inspired by any real-life incident? You also dedicated the award to women who have been silenced.
Anuparna Roy: It is definitely personal. I have seen my grandmother and her stepdaughter, who were the same age. My grandmother was a child bride, and when she entered the household, she discovered her stepdaughter was her age. They became more like friends than mother and daughter, and that bond sustained them. They ran the family together after my grandfather died. It was a platonic relationship—not romantic—but I imagined it differently. It could have been romantic, because when you realize you don’t need a man in your life as a woman, you evolve further. That’s how the story came to me. Another personal angle is the loss of my childhood friend, Jhooma Nath. I don’t know her whereabouts. I met her in Class 5, my first friend. I told my father, and he didn’t like her surname. He said things like “they are like this” or “they are like that.” Back then, I didn’t understand casteism, but seeking his validation, I stopped talking to her. That loss stayed with me. Later, I learned she was married at 13 under a government initiative, which broke my heart. So, I wanted to portray that memory—the guilt, the loss. That’s how Jhooma Nath’s angle came into the film.
Q. How do you describe your journey to Songs of the Forgotten Trees?
Anuparna Roy: The journey is very memorable. I had just moved to Mumbai, and within six months, I started drafting the script. We rented an apartment and decided to shoot the film there. The journey was made possible and memorable because of the people involved. Debjit Samanta, the DOP, did an amazing job. His team—Aditya Pandit, Harsh Patel, Anjali, Pradip Vighnavalou, and Sikadeep Chaudhary—all did wonderful work. The shots I wanted were exactly as Debjit envisioned. Sikadeep Chaudhary, who worked as the second-schedule DOP, also did a fantastic job with the long shots I imagined.
Q. How did Anurag Kashyap react to your film? What advice did he give you?
Anuparna Roy: Anurag Kashyap has always backed me. I can’t fully describe his emotions for the film. Paresh Kamdar, my mentor, also guided me throughout. I feel this award belongs to him more than me. He has always helped me as a teacher, and I’m still his student, trying to make my way in Mumbai.
Anurag sir loved the film. He gave me countless pieces of advice. One sentence that stays with me is: “An award not only brings reputation or recognition; it also brings responsibility. No matter how uncomfortable you are, you have to keep making films.”