Hiranyakashipu - An Elephant of the blinds
Shiva, a poor cow grazer, lives in a remote village and has a troubled relationship with his wife Kaveri, who works in a nearby town. Their son Kesha, is a school dropout and directionless teenager.
Kaveri is having an affair with Ulhas, a truck driver.
One day, Kaveri goes missing after a harsh fight with Shiva.
The family searched for Kaveri but couldn't find her. A few days later, a decomposed body is found in the well and identified as Kaveri. The family mourns at the funeral.
Then, Kaveri's brother blames Shiva for her suffering and suicide. Kesha detaches and starts hating Shiva, wishing for his death.
Meanwhile, Shiva drinks heavily, becomes guilt-ridden, and starts hallucinating Kaveri's ghost.
Kesha and Kaveri's brother suspects Shiva of Kaveri's murder and reports it to the police. The police investigate and find Shiva innocent, but overcome by guilt, he commits suicide.
Kesha moves away for survival. One day, Kaveri, Ulhas, and their newborn meet Kesha, with no knowledge of what has happened.
After discovering the truth, Kesha returns to his empty home and village, overwhelmed with remorse for his late father.
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Ashish Pradip MadurwarWriter
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Project Title (Original Language):Hiranyakashipu - An Elephant of the blinds
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Project Type:Screenplay
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Number of Pages:84
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Country of Origin:India
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Language:English
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First-time Screenwriter:Yes
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Student Project:No
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Maharashtra Film, Stage and Cultural Development Corporation Ltd. (MFSCDCL) Marathi Script camp 2021Mumbai, Filmcity
August 2, 2021
Selection in Script Lab -
International Screenplay Competition - Jaipur International Film Festival (ISC-JIFF))Jaipur
Official Selection -
Platform BusanBusan
Ashish Madurwar studied at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) and was selected for a foreign exchange program between FTII and FAMU (Prague, Czech Republic).
He is also an alumnus of Kyoto Filmmaker Lab (Masters session), Sundance Collab's Directing Visual Storytelling Program, NAFF Fantastic Film School (Online 2022, 2023), Platform Busan, HAF Film Lab (Online 2023), and DocEdge Kolkata (Observer 2023) by
Documentary Resource Initiative(DRI).
His feature film project in development, "Hiranyakashipu - An Elephant of the Blinds", was a part of Filmcity-NFDC script lab (Marathi Script Camp) and was pitched at NFDC film Bazaar 2021. It was also pitched and presented at Platform Busan.
His recent short film, "Thodi Si Khushi - A Bit of Happiness" has been officially selected and screened in more than 75 national and international film festivals including, Indian Film Festival Stuttgart, International Film Festival of South Asia Toronto, Indian Film Festival of Melbourne, International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala (IDSFFK), Ottawa Indian Film Festival Awards, KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival, Jaffna International Cinema Festival, International Film Festival of Shimla, Trans Film Festival Stockholm, South Asian Short Film festival, Something Like Film Festival, etc.
His short film as a writer-director, ‘Nagraj In Mumbai’, won the first prize at India’s largest 50-hour film-making challenge, "India Film Project".
He was the winner of the ‘Docu Proposal Contest’ by Cineimpact Film Academy, Romania and he received a mentorship under Cannes-winning filmmaker Ionut Piturescu.
He also creatively contributed to the Malayalam language feature film PAKA-River of Blood, which had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) 2021.
Director’s Statement:
I am a writer and director based in India. I grew up in a rural area that was far away from development and education. I saw more uneducated, Superstitious, and emotional people than educated and clever ones around me while I grew up. My stories are inspired by self-realizations and observations. I am concerned about maintaining the originality of my independent voice, rooted existence, and authenticity through my stories. I am aiming to develop local stories that have the essence of my land and culture but at the same time have a strong universal appeal and relevance. I wish to connect with audiences beyond the borders of my country, culture, and language of communication. My first feature film in development is such an attempt.
I have been developing this feature film project called “Hiranyakashipu - An Elephant of the Blinds” for the last two years.
The film’s script was developed at a script lab conducted by Filmcity and NFDC India. Now, I am seeking further opportunities for mentorship and trying to develop this project as a multi-country project.
The film ‘‘Hiranyakashipu‘‘ delves into the complexities of the father-son relationship, intertwining it with the Buddhist folktale ‘‘Elephant and Blinds‘‘. It challenges the notion of objective truth and sheds light on biased perceptions.
The film's title is inspired by an Indian myth featuring a notorious demon king ”Hiranyakashipu” as the adversary of his son.
The film aims to blend local characters, traditions, culture, and mythology with a universally relatable story.
I aim to combine neo-realism with genre elements such as thriller and horror to create an intriguing and enriching drama. Authenticity will be achieved through raw performances,
diegetic sounds, realistic rural settings and costumes, and the use of folk music.
I strongly believe the diverse cultural views and different sensibilities, technical knowledge and aesthetics of individuals involved in my project will help me make it unique, genuine and
rich in various cinematic aspects.
Currently with a greatly supported Producer attached and a few other production houses interested in other Asian countries, I am dreaming of this film to happen sooner with the most possible creative consciousness.
Sincerely,
Ashish Madurwar
(Writer-Director)