Acclaimed filmmaker Tanuja Chandra's heartwarming documentary, Aunty Sudha Aunty Radha, is set to release on the OTT platform Open Theatre on June 14. Produced by Anupama Mandloi, the film follows the lives of Chandra's 86-year-old and 93-year-old paternal aunts, Sudha and Radha, living in Lahra, a village just a few hours from New Delhi.
Chandra, known for films like Dushman, Sangharsh, and Qarib Qarib Singlle, has crafted a sensitive and insightful portrait of her aunts, celebrating their resilience and spirit.
Talking about the documentary, Tanuja says, "Aunty Sudha Aunty Radha is about sisters in the absolute autumn of their lives, facing their mortality with a surprising lightness. Death is something they contemplate, but with ease. As if it were a companion. The film has large doses of their small-town humour as well as emotionally intimate moments that are bound to touch your heart. The deep affection between the sisters and their caretakers—a most unusual yet quirky bond—will bring laughter and warmth in equal measure. The documentary might leave you with a yearning for a life like theirs—a village retirement where one might feel free to finally be oneself."
Talking about what prompted her to back this project, producer Anupama Mandloi states, "Knowing Tanuja's work ethic and vision for the film, I trusted her completely. It all started when Tanuja asked if I could recommend a producer. She wanted to avoid established production houses to keep the project from being overshadowed by larger, more marketable shows. I offered to produce it. The concept was simple: a few days in the lives of two sisters in their autumn years. The essence of the show was in these two bickering, funny, acerbic, warm, and delightful women. Upon meeting them in Lahra, I realised their magic, and I breathed a sigh of relief. The risk had paid off. Also, to have platforms like Open Theatre that encourage and support independent films is beautiful."
Aunty Sudha Aunty Radha has already garnered recognition by premiering at prestigious film festivals, including the Madrid International Film Festival, the Chicago South Asian Film Festival, the Tasveer South Asian Film Festival, Seattle, and the Jio Mami Film Festival, among others. It also received awards like the 10th Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival's Best Documentary Jury Award, the 9th Kolkata International Short Film Festival's Best Documentary Jury Award, the Indian Film Festival's Best Documentary Film Award 2020, the Austin Film Festival's Best Audience Choice Award, and others.