In a time when female directors remain few and far between, Manasa U Sharma is ready to make her mark with her debut directorial — a slice-of-life drama backed by Vijay Tata under the Amrita Cine Craft banner. The yet-to-be-titled film is one of five projects launched by the production house. Manasa aims to bring an authentic touch to everyday emotions and relationships with her debut film.

“I’ve always believed stories are everywhere — you just need to observe life closely,” says Manasa, who began as a still photographer in 2013, before stepping into the world of direction in 2017 as an assistant to filmmaker BSP Varma. Having worked across various departments, including cinematography, writing, and as an associate director, she was also recognised among the Top 100 Women Screenwriters in India by NFDC.

Talking about her debut, Manasa shares, “My first film is something very close to reality. I draw inspiration from Chi Udaya Shankar for his writing, and from directors like Singeetham Srinivas Rao, Shankar Nag, and Puttanna Kanagal. Their works made me understand the essence of human emotion.”

The film brings together veterans Prakash Belawadi and Lakshmi in lead roles. Interestingly, this will mark Lakshmi’s return to Kannada cinema after Trikona and Raja Drohi.

For Manasa, storytelling runs deep in her roots. “My grandfather would narrate ten stories a day, while Sundays were all about Ramayana and Mahabharata,” she recalls fondly. “My grandmother took me to the theatre, and that’s where my fascination with cinema began. My parents loved old Kannada films — that’s how I was introduced to them. I didn’t choose visual media; it chose me.”

The technical crew includes Keerthan Pujary as the cinematographer, while Dhani Kurien and Suhit Bhangera will be handling the music. The pre-production work is nearing completion, with the film set to go on floors by the end of October.