The ever sassy Sona Mohapatra has a new reason to celebrate her achievements. Her feature documentary directed by Deepti Gupta and produced by the artist, 'Shut Up Sona' has been honoured with the Impact Docs Award in the US. The film centres around not only Mohapatra's deep love for her country's roots but also captures her relentless protest for an equal space, and the larger battle of women across lines to express themselves freely. The film premiered at the IIFR Film Festival Rotterdam.
Director, Deepti Gupta says, "Ours is a universal tale and a film that's relevant across cultures. I believe that Sona is the most fascinating person in our country right now to tell the story of the quest for women who are fighting for equality. A lot of her hit music is independent of Bollywood and she uses her voice not only in song but also in protest to stand up for her beliefs. Through her you see this prismatic reality of what India has been for years for women and what it is right now. I believe that our journey with the film is only getting started now."
From 'This LittleLand of Mines' about resilience of the Lao people to 'Pushout' that explores the criminalisation of Black girls in school, the films chosen alongside 'Shut Up Sona' by the awards jury make both Deepti and Sona truly proud. The award endeavours to support and promote filmmakers whose work is triggering a deep rooted social impact whilst entertaining and enlightening audiences.