Aparna Sen’s “The Rapist”, produced by Applause Entertainment and Quest Films, had its Indian premiere at the prestigious International Film Festival of Kerala

National award winning director, Aparna Sen’s ‘The Rapist’, produced by Applause Entertainment in association with Quest Films Pvt. Ltd premiered at the International Film Festival of Kerala on 19th March, 2022.

‘The Rapist’ has been on a remarkable journey, with the film having its World Premiere at the Busan International Film Festival, where it won the prestigious Kim Jiseok Award. The actor-auteur’s 16th film was shot over 27 days in Delhi, in the slim window between the first and the lethal second Covid-19 wave.

The Rapist deals with the complex themes of crime, punishment and restorative justice through the prism of class dynamics. It chronicles the journey of three protagonists and how their lives get entwined because of one horrific incident. The film is an unflinching, uncompromising portrait of sexual violence, its aftermath, and the socio-psychological fallout for both the survivors and perpetrators of the crime.

Marking the reunion of the prolific mother-daughter duo of Aparna Sen and Konkona Sen Sharma, The Rapist also boasts of splendid actors like Arjun Rampal and Tanmay Dhanania in lead roles. The Rapist received rave reviews at the festival with several critics calling it one of Aparna Sen’s finest works.

About Applause Entertainment

Applause Entertainment is a leading Content & IP Creation Studio with a focus on premium drama series, movies, documentaries and animation content. A venture of the Aditya Birla Group, led by media veteran Sameer Nair, the studio has produced and released popular series across genres and languages which includes shows like Criminal Justice, Scam 1992, Hostages that have gone on to set new benchmarks. Currently in production is a robust slate of Theatrical and Direct-To-Streaming movies including the untitled multi-starrer romance featuring Vidya Balan, Pratik Gandhi, Ileana D’Cruz and Sendhil Ramamurthy, Sharmajee Ki Beti, Jab Khuli Kitaab, Iftikhar and more. Applause’s first feature, The Rapist, directed by Aparna Sen, recently won the prestigious Kim Jiseok Award at the Busan International Film Festival, 2021. Applause has partnered with leading platforms like Netflix, Disney+Hotstar, Amazon Prime Video, Sony LIV and MX Player for its creative output.

About Quest Films:

Quest Films Pvt Ltd is founded by Suchhanda Chatterjee and Shubha Shetty. Their first film, Bittersweet won many laurels, including the official premiere at the Busan International film festival. Quest Film’s mission is to have an extensive association with sensitive filmmakers, along with visionary talent behind the camera. Quest Films is looking to make content-driven cinema, that can evoke the audience on a personal level as well as try to make an impact on society

About International Film Festival of Kerala:

The International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) is a film festival held annually in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala, India. This film festival started in 1996 and is hosted by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy on behalf of the Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala. This festival is acknowledged as one of the leading cultural events in India.