Bengaluru-based Shruthi Raju, a first-time filmmaker, will be among the Indians participating in the 75th annual Cannes Film Festival in southern France. Her short film What’s Up With Indian Men? will be shown in Cannes Court Metrage online Video Library on May 25 during the festival.
The 15-minute film, mostly in English, is a lighthearted social satire that looks at different generations of men through a woman’s eyes.
After working on more than 120 original theatre shows across south India under the banner of Underdog Entertainment, which she co-founded, Shruthi recently ventured into films. The short film is adapted from a play she wrote and acted in.
The 2012 play of the same name, she says, was well-received by audiences across age groups.
Zach Miller, an American documentary filmmaker, who watched the play, suggested she turn it into a film. Shruthi started the work in 2021.
Without prior experience in filmmaking, the task was challenging. One of the them was performing for the camera as opposed to a live audience. “In theatre, when you perform in front of the audience, you emote a lot with your body, your eyes, your voice... But in film, you have to tone it down. You need to be subtle,” she says.
Shruthi, however, brought in some elements that are quintessentially theatre to the film. “We have a slam poetry intercut between scenes, which is not something you usually see in movies.”
The short film is just a prototype of a feature film she intends to make this year. Which is why its presentation at Cannes is a big deal for Shruthi.
“We would have the chance to meet agents and distributors from all over the world. In fact, some people from China and New Zealand have already reached out to us.”
This is her first visit to Cannes. She is excited to represent Karnataka. “We’ll be wearing the Mysuru peta (turban).” She plans to watch as many films as she can, participate in filmmaking workshops, and get a good deal for her film.
