SAHELA

Executive produced by award-winning actor Dev Patel (SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE, LION, THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL) and starring Antonio Aakeel (SLOW HORSES) and Anula Navlekar, director Raghuvir Joshi’s debut feature captures the complexity of a married man’s decision to confront the traditional Indian cultural values he was raised with and embrace his true self.

Vir and Nitya are a young married couple right at the beginning of their life together in Sydney’s Parramatta. Living with Vir’s parents to help make ends meet, Vir and Nitya look like, to all intents and purposes, an aspirational Indian-Australian couple finding success in the world, while carrying on their family’s culture and traditions. But despite appearances, Vir and Nitya are far from happy. Vir is not sexually attracted to Nitya, and the lack of intimacy in the couple’s relationship ultimately begins to pull it asunder completely. As Vir embarks on a journey of self-discovery, Nitya grapples with her own reality and societal expectations. Together, they navigate pathways of exploration and transformation in this fascinating look into the Indian diaspora in Australia.

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“Scott Gray’s editing has flare, as the film uses some non-linear timelines to strong emotional effect, and Michael McDermott’s cinematography offers a fresh eye on Sydney’s West.” –– Chad Armstrong | THE QUEER REVIEW