Gaurav Madan’s 16mm film, Barah by Barah gets a release date

Debutant director Gaurav Madan’s Barah by Barah is set to release in theatres on May 24, the makers announced on Saturday. Among the rare films that is shot on 16mm celluloid, it is set in Varanasi and tells the story of a photographer who captures the photos of dead people on the ghats of Ganga. The film is written by Gaurav Madan and Sunny Lahiri.

It stars Harish Khanna, Geetika Vidya Ohlyan, Bhumika Dube, Gyanendra Tripathi and Akash Sinha in pivotal roles.

Gaurav recalled meeting a real death photographer during a trip to Varanasi and found “immense cinematic potential” in the subject. Speaking about his connection to the film, he said in a press release, “I hail from a small town called Jagadhri in Haryana. My parents had to let go of our ancestral home because the government decided to widen the adjacent highway. The house was razed in front of my eyes and we had to migrate to a drab housing colony.”

He added, “Now, the entire town looks listless, like a big city clone. Progress is vital, of course, but there's a part of me that misses the old town charm and sense of nostalgia. This film is a personal story, one I believe will resonate with anyone grappling with change, told through the lens of a novel protagonist.”

Writer-producer Sunny Lahiri said the film's journey from shooting, its festival premiere to now its theatrical release has been "challenging yet magical." He said in his statement, "Balancing credibility and passion for storytelling, be it shooting on celluloid and on location amongst the rising tensions of cremation fires, smoke, mourners, all while navigating a resourceful production was a herculean task. The cast and crew’s dedication, who poured their heart and might into this film, was truly inspiring. I am incredibly proud of the film and am thrilled to finally bring it to the theatres”.

The film had its India premiere at International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) and world premiere at the Shanghai International Film Festival. It has won top awards at various film festivals including the FIPRESCI India (Grand Prix, Best Film), Pune International Film Festival (Best Director) and Diorama IFF (Best Indian Feature Film).

Barah by Barah is produced and presented by Jignesh Patel's Amdavaad Pictures, a production house based out of Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The film will be theatrically released, on May 24 by Shiladitya Bora’s Platoon Distribution (Sir, Court, Ghode Ko Jalebi Khilane Le Ja Riya Hoon).