Mumbai, July 24
Star couple Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal’s film ‘Secrets of a Mountain Serpent' produced under their banner Pushing Buttons Studios is all set to have its premiere at the Venice Film Festival.
“Secrets of a Mountain Serpent†is directed by Nidhi Saxena, whose debut feature, Sad Letters of an Imaginary Woman premiered at the 2024 Busan International Film Festival to great acclaim, is the first Indian woman to win the Biennale College Fund grant for Secrets of a Mountain Serpent.
Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal said in a joint statement: "We were immediately drawn to Nidhi’s lyrical vision. This is a story rooted in myth and yet is startlingly relevant today. At
PBS, we believe in backing storytellers who take creative risks and Nidhi has crafted something singular, poetic, and soulful."
Set in a remote Himalayan town during the 1990s, ‘Secrets of a Mountain Serpent’ tells the intimate story of Barkha played by Trimala Adhikari, a schoolteacher whose husband is posted at the border.
In a place where most men are gone and days echo with silence, Barkha finds herself drawn to Manik Guho, played by Adil Hussain, a mysterious outsider who disrupts the fragile balance of waiting, restraint, and myth.
Saxena, who also wrote the film, welcomed the new creative partnership and said the film is about women who chose to risk everything and follow their desires, shedding the burden of moralities imposed upon them by the world.
The director added: “I was looking for kindred collaborators and this feels like a meeting of minds and hearts. It also feels like we no longer need to borrow men’s voices to tell our stories. We have our own voice, which is strong, with femininityâ€.
Secrets of a Mountain Serpent has recently completed principal photography and is currently in post-production. It will have its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival in August 2025.
— IANS
Reader Comments
The premise sounds intriguing but I hope they don't make it too "art house" that regular audiences can't connect. Our filmmakers sometimes try too hard for international festivals. Still, best wishes to the team!
Adil Hussain is such an underrated gem of Indian cinema! Him paired with Trimala Adhikari sounds like a masterclass in acting. The Himalayan setting will be breathtaking on screen. Hope it gets a proper theatrical release here.
"We no longer need to borrow men's voices to tell our stories" - what a powerful statement by Nidhi Saxena! More power to women filmmakers telling authentic Indian stories. The 90s Himalayan backdrop adds such nostalgic charm.
While I appreciate the artistic ambition, I hope they don't portray our border areas in a negative light just to appeal to Western audiences. Our soldiers' families deserve respectful representation. Cautiously optimistic!
The combination of myth and contemporary themes sounds exactly like the kind of cinema India needs more of! Richa-Ali's production house is making bold choices. Hope this inspires more actors to back meaningful projects beyond commercial masala films.
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