Aarya co-director Vinod Rawat’s debut feature Pushtaini, which had its South Asia Premiere in South Asia Focus, strikes a special chord with the audience at the 23rd Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival.
The film had a sold-out premiere at the festival, followed by Q&A with cast and crew members, and was attended by Piyush Mishra, Shivani Raghuvanshi (Made In Heaven), Sonal Jha (Agra, Fire In The Mountains).
Bollywood star Hrithik Roshan who launched Pushtaini trailer on Instagram called it "brilliant” and added “so many moments of the film have stayed with me” in his post. Rajkummar Rao who has done a special appearance in the film, launched the poster and attended the film’s red carpet at MAMI.
Pushtaini is about Bhuppi, a struggling actor who finds himself caught in an embarrassing scandal and is desperate to secure his last chance at stardom. Forced to return to his home and face his past, Bhuppi travels through the mountains and shares adventures with strangers, unaware of what the journey has in store for him.
The deeply personal film marks Vinod’s feature debut as an actor-director-writer-producer. Shot in Rawat’s ancestral village in Uttarakhand, the film features non-professional actors including his own family members. Rita Heer who plays a prominent character has co-written the film.
Vinod shot to fame with the International Emmy Awards nominated series Aarya which he co-directed with Ram Madhvani. He also wrote and directed an award-winning short film MAD. Alumni from FTII, Vinod is also a leading acting coach and has coached stars like Hrithik Roshan, Sushmita Sen and Sonam Kapoor among others.
Elated about the MAMI premiere response, Rawat says, “I am glad to see what was personal became so universal. The love and response we are getting from our audience, in India and abroad, is a redemption and a reward.” During the Q & A session, the filmmaker shared his journey and motivation with several young filmmakers and movie enthusiasts who were deeply moved by Pushtaini, including a young boy who recently lost his father and found the movie a fitting ode to father-son relationships.
The co-writer and actor of the film Rita Heer says, “I was honestly blown away by the response, people were crying and laughing with my character, including so many young females who found “Dimple” resilient and inspiring. I am thankful for this opportunity and enthused to bring similar energy for my future roles.”
The film produced by Lotus Dust Pictures and VinRaw Films is Nominated for IMDB Audience Choice Award.