Lakshmi Devy’s debut film, When the Music Changes, addresses rape culture

Every 16 minutes, a woman is raped in India and this movie is a reminder to society that it is not the woman but a man who loses his honour
Lakshmi Devy
Lakshmi Devy

Filmmaking happened by accident to Lakshmi Devy, who has been a doctor by profession. And that chance is now like a dream come true for her who is enjoying her storytelling stint on-screen with her debut project – When the Music Changes. The film that revolves around a young Indian American woman who is dishonoured or raped by men also acts as a reminder to society that it is not the woman but a man who loses his honour because of this dastardly act. Devy who won the Gold Remy Award for Best Director at the 54th Worldfest Houston International film festival etches the role of the protagonist here and she gives us an insight into the film. Excerpts:   

What got you into filmmaking?

It was quite accidental. Acting made me realise the intricacies of filmmaking and I fell in love with it. I have always been a storyteller. I feel immense gratitude to be able to express and narrate stories as a filmmaker. It is truly a dream come true.

What led to the making of When the Music Changes?

Stories that surrounded me inspired me to write the script. I felt like it was a necessity for society as of now to witness and create awareness of their own volition through this film. I had a fantastic team of technicians behind me to support my vision. The cinematography was helmed by Abinandhan Ramanujam of Amen fame. The editor of our film was Anthony Gonsalves who works mostly with Gautam Menon and director Shanker. The music was helmed by Achu Rajamani of Golisoda and Urumeen fame.

Tell us about the film and the theme?

A young beautiful Indian American woman finds friends and happiness in her hometown in India. An unfortunate incident makes her realise that the forces who want to shatter her are not only villains but also her lover. Every 16 minutes, a woman is raped in India and this movie is a reminder to society that it is not the woman but a man who loses his honour because of this dastardly act.

Tell us about the cast of the film?

I play the main protagonist in the film along with well-known South Indian actor Adith Arun. Other key roles are played by Naveen George Thomas, Shreya Navile and Vignesh Shivasubramanium.

When is it releasing in Indian and on which platform?

The film is now in film festivals across the world. I am so grateful that I just won a Gold Remy Award for Best Director at the 54th Worldfest Houston International film festival. This is such a huge honour. I am looking forward to releasing it on a prominent OTT platform and sharing my film with audiences across the world.

What’s next after this?

I am prepping for two projects at the moment. One is a Tamil film and another is a Hollywood film called About Him, to be shot in New York.

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