Private Project

Raja Bro (Raja Bhau)

RAJA BHAU is a sensitive heart-warming story of an Indian transman’s acceptance, by himself and his family. Merlin, born as a girl, felt right from his childhood that he was trapped in the wrong gender. But it took a lot of courage and determination for Merlin to transition to become a transman. With unflinching support from his mother who has stood with him through thick and thin, and acceptance by his cousins, aunts and uncles, Merlin now is proud of his gender identity. Having had two transformation surgeries, Merlin is a fitness freak, and spends his non-office hours in the gym. He is now an inspiration to other younger persons struggling with their identity, and through his Instagram profile and regular meetings at the transmen’s group, he advises them on the correct way to go through transition. His grandmother living on the outskirts of Ratnagiri tells with a chuckle, “I have always called him Raja Bhau (Raja Bro) right from his childhood!”

With the contemporary focus by the government on providing more facilities for the transgender community, this slice-of-life film will inspire the youth and their parents to choose a life true to their gender and live with dignity.

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt26441015

AWARDS
Best Documentary Short at Vintage International Film Festival, Kolhapur, India
Best Indian Documentary Short at Yellowstone International Film Festival, New Delhi, India
Best LGBTQ Short Film at Global Bengaluru International Film Festival, India
Special Jury Mention at Girona Film Festival, Spain

FESTIVALS
1. Global Bengaluru International Film Festival, Bengaluru, India – December 17-18, 2022
2. Aks International Minorities Festival , Lahore, Karachi & Multan, Pakistan – January 14-23, 2023
3. REINCARNATE III Regional Art and Film Festival, Dhaka, Bangladesh – January 18-20, 2023
4. PrideArts Film Festival, USA – February 1-12, 2023
5. Leeds Queer Film Festival, Leeds, UK - March 23 – 26, 2023
6. Kalamata Monthly International Short Documentary Festival, Greece – April 7, 2023
7. Muskoka Queer Film Festival, Canada – May 17, 2023
8. KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival – June 7-11, 2023
9. Zorilla’s Fest, Valladolid, Spain – May 27 – June 24, 2023
10. Three Fires International Film Festival, Canada – July 27 - 30, 2023
11. Bangalore Queer Film Festival, India – August 4-6, 2023
12. Reel Desires: Chennai International Queer Film Festival, India - August 18-20, 2023
13. Khush Texas, USA – August 27, 2023
14. Chicago South Asian Film Festival, USA - September 21-24, 2023
15. 100% Manusia Film Festival, Indonesia - September 30 - October 8, 2023
16. Tasveer Film Festival, USA - October 11 – 22, 2023
17. BangkokThai International Film Festival, Bangkok, Thailand – October 14, 2023
18. Yellowstone International Film Festival, New Delhi – October 22-27, 2023
19. Girona Film Festival, Spain – November 6-12, 2023
20. Yatha Katha International Film & Literature Festival, Mumbai, India – November 9, 2023
21. Merlinka International Festival, Serbia – December 7-10, 2023
22. DC South Asian Film Festival, USA – December 8-10, 2023
23. Alibag Short Film Festival, India – December 10, 2023
24. Golden Jury Film Festival, Mumbai, India –December 12- 13, 2023
25. Vintage International Film Festival, Kolhapur, India – January 21, 2024
26. K.R.Mohanan Memorial Film Festival, Palakkad, India - February 18, 2024
27. Odisha International Film Festival, Bhubaneshwar, India - February 23, 2024

  • Sridhar Rangayan
    Director
    Evening Shadows, Breaking Free, Purple Skies, 68 Pages, Yours Emotionally!, The Pink Mirror
  • Suhail Abbasi
    Producer
    Cover Story
  • Vivek Raj Anand
    Producer
    68 Pages, Project Bolo
  • Sridhar Rangayan
    Producer
  • Saagar Gupta
    Producer
    Evening Shadows, Yours Emotionally!, The Pink Mirror (Gulabi Aaina)
  • Merlin Mandavkar
    Key Cast
    "Merlin"
  • Devyani Mandavkar
    Key Cast
    "Mother"
  • Anita Bhatkar
    Key Cast
    "Grandmother"
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Raja Bhau
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Genres:
    LGBT, Transmen, Family
  • Runtime:
    25 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    December 1, 2022
  • Country of Origin:
    India
  • Country of Filming:
    India
  • Language:
    English, Hindi, Marathi
  • Shooting Format:
    HD
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • K.R.Mohanan Memorial Film Festival
    Palakkad, Kerala
    India
    February 18, 2024
  • Vintage International Film Festival
    Kolhapur
    India
    January 21, 2024
    WINNER - Best Documentary Short Award
  • Golden Jury Film Festival
    Mumbai
    India
    December 12, 2023
  • Alibag Short Film Festival
    Alibag
    India
  • DC South Asian Film Festival
    Washington DC
    United States
    December 9, 2023
  • Merlinka International Festival

    Serbia
    December 9, 2023
  • Yatha Katha International Film & Literature Festival
    Mumbai
    India
    November 9, 2023
  • Girona Film Festival
    Girona
    Spain
    November 7, 2023
    WINNER - Special Jury Mention
  • Yellowstone International Film Festival
    New Delhi
    India
    October 23, 2023
    WINNER - Best Indian Documentary Short Award
  • BangkokThai International Film Festival, Bangkok, Thailand
    Bangkok
    Thailand
    October 14, 2023
  • Tasveer Film Festival
    Seattle
    United States
    October 13, 2023
  • 100% Manusia Film Festival
    Jakarta
    Indonesia
    October 2, 2023
  • Chicago South Asian Film Festival
    Chicago
    United States
    September 23, 2023
  • Khush Texas
    Austin
    United States
    August 27, 2023
  • Reel Desires: Chennai International Queer Film Festival, India
    Chennai
    India
    August 20, 2023
  • Bangalore Queer Film Festival
    Bengaluru
    India
    August 5, 2023
  • Zorilla’s Fest
    Valladolid
    Spain
    June 16, 2023
  • KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival
    Mumbai
    India
    June 9, 2023
  • Muskoka Queer Film Festival
    Muskoka
    Canada
    May 27, 2023
  • Kalamata Monthly International Short Documentary Festival

    Greece
    April 7, 2023
  • Leeds Queer Film Festival
    Leeds
    United Kingdom
    March 24, 2023
  • Three Fires International Film Festival

    Canada
    July 28, 2023
  • PrideArts Film Festival
    Online
    United States
    February 1, 2023
  • REINCARNATE III Regional Art and Film Festival
    Dhaka
    Bangladesh
    January 18, 2023
  • Aks International Minorities Festival
    Lahore, Karachi, Multan, Faisalabad
    Pakistan
    January 14, 2023
  • Global Bengaluru International Film Festival
    Bengaluru
    India
    December 17, 2022
    Indian Premiere
    WINNER - Best LGBTQ Short Film Award
  • NFDC Film Bazaar
    Goa
    India
    November 20, 2022
Distribution Information
  • Solaris Pictures
    Distributor
    Country: Worldwide
    Rights: All Rights
Director Biography - Sridhar Rangayan

Sridhar Rangayan wears many caps – of a filmmaker, writer, activist and festival director. His award winning films The Pink Mirror, Yours Emotionally, Purple Skies, Breaking Free and Evening Shadows are at the forefront of India’s emergent queer cinema movement. He won the National Award for Best Editing for his film Breaking Free, and his film Evening Shadows has won 27 international awards and screened at 80 festivals. He has been a strong advocate for LGBTQ+ rights for over three decades.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Within the LGBTQ+ spectrum, I have felt that Transmen are the most marginalized and remain largely invisible. That’s the reason I decided to make a documentary on a transman, and more so focussing on acceptance of him. Finding Merlin, this bright amazing individual, was serendipity.