Sikkimese film may have world premiere at TIFF

Paakhi A. Tyrewala directed Sikkimese film "Pahuna", supported by actress-producer Priyanka Chopra, might get a world premiere at the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), which will be held in September.

Tyrewala is missing out all the action at Cannes where the upcoming film's first look was shown here on May 21, but she has no regrets.

"I've been away from home for four months. I just came back from the US. I was homesick. Plus, I have to get 'Pahuna' ready for TIFF," she told IANS over phone from Mumbai.

Her directorial short film "Kajal" premiered worldwide at the New York Indian Film Festival earlier this month.

Now her hands are full with "Pahuna".

"The deadline is in June. I am hoping it happens at TIFF. There are 50-50 chances," Tyrewala said.

Last year, Priyanka had announced that she had joined the jury for TIFFxInstagram Shorts Festival, a new digital shorts competition for which TIFF joined forces with Instagram.

It's not just Tyrewala who skipped the Cannes Film Festival this year.

Priyanka, who is producing the film through her and her mother Madhu Chopra's banner Purple Pebble Pictures, was also not among the attendees.

Nevertheless, the "Exclusive Cannes preview" of the trailer of "Pahuna" was attended by Madhu and Priyanka's brother Sidharth Chopra.

Asked bout the film, Tyrewala had earlier told IANS: "It can be viewed by children, but it's not a children's film. It's about children. When you say a children's film, you see it as a simplistic film or just an entertaining film.

"We are dealing with issues like gender bias, idea of currency... Money is money, but there is a currency divide, impact of older people on children, our fear of the unknown."

--IANS

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