Kacchey Limbu and Tora's Husband to premiere at Toronto International Film Festival

The 47th annual Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) will begin on September 8 and go on until September 18, 2022. Kacchey Limbu (featuring Udaan fame Rajat Barmecha and Radhika Madan), Shekhar Kapur's romantic comedy What's Love Got to Do With It? and award-winning filmmaker Rima Das' Tora's Husband will premiere at the event.

Jio Studios and Mango People Media’s coming-of-age film Kacchey Limbu is a heartwarming sibling drama about Aditi, a wilful young girl who is in the race of fulfilling dreams imposed on her by everyone and finding herself on the receiving end each time. A story about bravery, determination, and self-discovery. The film is an emotional rollercoaster in which she decides to take matters into her own hands to demonstrate to her family, friends, and especially her elder brother that being confused is not always a bad thing. With time, the right decision will come to you.

Talking about the film’s selection at TIFF, Radhika Madan said she feels thrilled and grateful. "Toronto has been lucky for me in the past and I have the fondest memories of the festival. I couldn’t have asked for a more fitting platform for the film’s showcase. Our film is Aditi’s journey of finding her dream amidst the pressure of what everyone expects out of her. It’s about getting past the validation and discovering who you are at your own pace."

Kacchey Limbu is written and directed by Shubham Yogi with dialogues written by Neeraj Pandey.

“We are extremely excited and honoured to have our film’s premiere at TIFF. I am grateful to Jio Studios and Mango People, who wholeheartedly supported me on this journey. Kacchey Limbu is a story that will connect with every GenZ and touches upon the crossroads of dreams in life. We have aspired to capture the spirit of sibling love in a way that would strike a chord with everybody,” said writer-director Shubham Yogi.

On his part, Neeraj said, "I told Shubham (the director) let's see what I can bring to the table. Thankfully, he was happy with what I brought to the table and later we improvised it."

As for Tora's Husband, it will premiere in the 'Platform' section of the TIFF, making it the first Indian title to be showcased in the category, according to a press release. Featuring Abhijit Das and Tarali Kalita Das in the lead, Tora's Husband is a story of a man who struggles to keep his small-town business afloat while his relationships deteriorate, amidst loss and lockdowns.

Rima Das in a statement, said, “During loss, lockdowns and life, we shot the film over 2 years in real locations and natural conditions. Shooting this film was more challenging than shooting my previous films because the pandemic restricts you in many ways. There was this constant feeling of fear and restlessness, which my characters also depict. But I knew I just had to shoot this film, as this time will become history one day.”

Das said that the 160-minute-long film is a tribute to her father Bharat Chandra Das, whom she lost during the pandemic. "I lost my father during the early days of shooting the film. I dedicate this film to my father and all those who have lost their loved ones during the pandemic."

Speaking about What's Love Got to Do With It, Kapur, in an interview said, “It’s about cultural clashes and it’s a comedy, but it’s about hiding behind identity and how identities can become tribal, and how tribalism can lead to clashes and fundamentalism. It’s a romcom, but based on this fundamental idea of people adopting identities out of fear of marginalisation.”

The film is written and co-produced by Jemima Khan, wife of former cricketer-Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan.

According to Shekhar Kapur, OTT platforms have brought rooted Indian content into living rooms, and the divide has already occurred, with cinemas existing for high-concept films. However, "India still has a long way to go before it can compete with international content. We must significantly improve our performance and step up our budgeting game."