Chicago South Asian Film Festival

Schedule:

8:00 PM: NAMAK
Rushan Jesani was born on July 26, 1999, in Gujrat, India. Rushan is a filmmaker known for his dynamic approach to storytelling. He honed his craft under the mentorship of legendary director Ramesh Sippy before earning his Master’s in Filmmaking from the New York Film Academy in Hollywood. This educational foundation, combined with practical experiences, shapes his philosophy: learn from the best, dive into practical experiences, and never stop improving. Influenced by his father and his background in sports, Rushan emphasizes training, teamwork, and relentless pursuit of excellence in his work.

Rushan's dedication is evident in his projects, such as "Sundown," a poignant film about a father and son crossing the border for a better life, and "Khadda," inspired by his sports background, showcasing the depth of his narrative skills. He believes in continuous practice and pushing boundaries, driven by a commitment to inspire others and foster a collaborative environment.

8:00 PM: THE MEHTA BOYS
After the loss of his mother, Amay, a young architect is forced to live for 48 hours with the one person he cannot stand, his father. It seems like a recipe for disaster. Wrong! It's much worse. Will the young architect crumble, or will this bumpy ride help him rebuild his relationship?

Amay, a junior architect, has been struggling for the last 10 years trying to make it. On hearing the news of his mother's death, he must return home immediately. What scares Amay the most is not the sight of his deceased mother but the thought of confronting the only man he can't stand - his father, Shiv.

Shiv is a man of his word and promises matter to him, especially the one made to his departed wife. So when his daughter, asks him to move with her to America, he accepts the proposal without a fuss. Amay is more than happy with this plan, but on the day, Shiv's flight is postponed and he is forced to spend 48 hours with his son in his mess of a house in Mumbai.

A disastrous dinner with Amay's girlfriend, a caved ceiling, three visits to the airport, and two accidents later, it's an even bigger, quirkier mess. It's a conflict of one of them trying to become a man while the other is losing every version of the man he once was.

'The Mehta Boys' attempts to explore this strange yet universal cross-wiring between fathers and sons.

8:00 PM: TOO BEAUTIFUL: A SPACEMAN STORY
Part animated short, part visual concept album, Too Beautiful follows the journey of a little Spaceman who crash lands on Earth and joins an eccentric collective of artists and street performers. Alongside rapper Utkarsh Ambudkar's epic and poignant original hip-hop soundtrack, we follow our Spaceman as he faces trials of love, fame, creativity and betrayal as he tries to inspire the people of Earth and outrun his intergalactic past.

5:30 PM: ZENDE: THE SUPERCOP
Zende follows 82-year-old retired assistant commissioner of police in Mumbai, Madhukar Zende, known for capturing serial killer Charles Sobhraj twice. Sobhraj is just a small part of Zende's vibrant life. Through his eyes, we explore Bombay's crime history over four decades. Zende brought real change to the city and its people with his eccentric, comical yet effective methods. From parading underworld dons to quelling communal riots, he demonstrated the power of words and unwavering humanity. His inspiring love story takes us back to a time when real love lasted a lifetime. Watch this true super-cop, who, without a holster, became a hero from Bombay to Mumbai, leaving an indelible mark on the city's heart and soul.

12:00 PM: MAARAN
In a dystopian patriarchal society where masculine dominance is the norm, a social pariah settles scores and deals with his sense of emasculation by ruthlessly getting back at unsuspecting women, changing their lives forever.

Two females, complete strangers, Birwa and Tara. One is a victim of human trafficking, one is about to meet the same fate. As their lives and worlds collide, Maaran explores the dystopian reality of a patriarchal world where gender based discrimination, subjugation and violence are the norms.

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