Experiencing Interruptions?

Traces of the Motherland

The filmmaker revisits his childhood through the story of Kuwariya Yadav, an elderly woman who worked in his family home for nearly 30 years. Now living in her own house, Kuwariya’s world remains deeply rooted in the past. Her memories are shaped by a lifelong longing to be accepted as part of the family she served. Despite the distance time has created, she continues to hold the same emotions of love, care, and tenderness for the filmmaker and his family.
Through her daily routine, stories, and reflections, the film becomes a sensory journey woven with fragments of the past in the form of sounds, spaces, gestures, and memories. It explores how the lives of those who serve and those who are served are deeply entwined, even across time and distance.
It explores how the world they once inhabited together is both distant and intimate for the filmmaker.

  • Kalash Jain
    Director
  • National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
    Producer
  • Smt. Kuwariya Yadav
    Key Cast
  • Kalash Jain
    Cinematographer
  • Bhoomi Jain
    Cinematographer
  • Kalash Jain
    Sound Designer
  • Kalash Jain
    Editor
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Dai Ghar ke Chinha
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short, Student
  • Genres:
    Drama, Slice of life, documentary
  • Runtime:
    15 minutes 42 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    August 25, 2025
  • Production Budget:
    10,000 INR
  • Country of Origin:
    India
  • Country of Filming:
    India
  • Language:
    Hindi
  • Shooting Format:
    Full HD
  • Aspect Ratio:
    4:3
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - National Institute of Design
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
Director Biography - Kalash Jain

Kalash Jain is an equal parts budding filmmaker, visual
communication designer, and nomad traveller. He is currently
pursuing his studies in the Film and Video Communication
program at NID Ahmedabad. Previously, he earned his Bachelor’s
degree in Fashion Communication from NIFT and has worked as
a comic artist, storyboard artist, and animator.
Kalash has been actively directing and editing both his personal
and collaborative projects. His writing and visual work often carry
a deep sense of nostalgia, memory, and layered emotional
complexity. He aspires to be a multidisciplinary visual artist.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

The film subtly brings forward the realities of class and social divisions, highlighting the unspoken dynamics between belonging and servitude. At its heart, it is a personal attempt by the filmmaker to rediscover his childhood through the eyes of the woman who helped shape it.