• February 11, 2025

Shadowbox (Baksho Bondi) – A Poignant tale of love and resilience is set for its Berlinale Premiere!

Shadowbox (Baksho Bondi) –  A Poignant tale of love and resilience is set for its Berlinale Premiere!

The anticipated teaser for Shadowbox (Baksho Bondi) was presented to the press earlier today. The teaser offers audiences a compelling glimpse into a deeply emotional and visually immersive piece of cinema. Directed by debut filmmakers Tanushree Das and Saumyananda Sahi, the Bengali-language drama has been selected at the prestigious 75th Berlin International Film Festival, where it will compete in the newly introduced Perspectives section. 

Starring National Award-winning actor Tillotama Shome as Maya, Chandan Bisht as Sundar, Sayan Karmakar as Debu, and Suman Saha as Constable Ripon in defining performances, Shadowbox (Baksho Bondi) tells the powerful story of Maya, a woman who juggles multiple jobs while caring for her teenage son and her husband, a retired soldier battling PTSD. When he vanishes under mysterious circumstances, Maya is thrust into a fight for survival that challenges her strength, love, and resilience. 

Talking about the film Tanushree Das said, “In Shadowbox (Baksho Bondi), we wanted to explore the invisible battles fought every day within families—the quiet endurance of women, the stigma around mental health, and the ways in which survival is negotiated in an unforgiving world. Maya, the protagonist’s journey is a reflection of countless women who fight to keep their families together, despite the odds stacked against them. We hope the film not only sheds light on these struggles but also sparks conversations about resilience and the silent strength of women.” 

Adding to this Saumyananda Sahi said, “The teaser is just a small window into the world of our film, and we hope it resonates with audiences as deeply as it did with us while making it. We wanted to create a cinematic experience that doesn’t just tell a story but immerses the audience in it.” 

With 17 producers coming together to bring this vision to life, Shadowbox (Baksho Bondi) is a remarkable feat of collective storytelling. The film’s success is a testament to the power of independent cinema and the ability of creative minds to push the boundaries of storytelling. 

A joint statement on behalf of the Producers said, “Our journey with Shadowbox (Baksho Bondi) has been a testament to the power of community based filmmaking. The film stands as proof that bold, independent storytelling has the power to transcend borders and speak to the heart of human experience.” 

As Shadowbox (Baksho Bondi) makes its mark on the international stage with its premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival, it paves the way for bold, independent storytelling that transcends borders and resonates universally with audiences. 

Key Credits
 

Director 

Tanushree Das, Saumyananda Sahi 

Screenplay 

Saumyananda Sahi 

 Cinematography 

Saumyananda Sahi 

 Editing 

Tanushree Das 

 Music 

Benedict Taylor, Naren Chandavarkar 

 Sound Design 

Gautam Nair 

 Costumes & Production Design 

Mausam Aggarwal  

 About the Directors: 

Tanushree Das graduated from the University of Calcutta with a Masters in English Literature, and began her career as a theatre person – directing as well as acting. In 2011 Tanushree graduated from the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune, with a Diploma in Film Editing. Tanushree‘s work as an editor has been screened to critical acclaim in film festivals around the world, including at Berlin, Locarno, Rotterdam, Rome, Pingyao, Hot Docs and Busan. Most recently she edited ‘Shankar’s Fairies’ (winner of the Montgolfière d’Argent Award at Festival des 3 Continents, Nantes). 

 

Born in Bangalore, Saumyananda Sahi originally studied philosophy at St Stephens College, Delhi before attending the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune. Saumyananda has worked as a cinematographer on a variety of projects, both factual and fiction, which have gone on to screen and win awards at festivals such as Cannes, Berlin, Sundance, Locarno and Rotterdam. He has been nominated for an Asia Pacific Award, Filmfare Award and was selected for the BAFTA Breakthrough India programme in 2022. His recent work includes ‘All That Breathes’ (nominated for an Academy Award) and the Netflix series ‘Black Warrant’. 

 

About the Producers: 

‘Shadowbox’ (Baksho Bondi) is produced by Naren Chandavarkar (Moonweave Films), Shaunak Sen and Aman Mann (Kiterabbit Films), Saumyananda Sahi with Executive Producers Jim Sarbh (Wonderful Entertainment), Vikramaditya Motwane (Andolan Films), and Nikkhil Advani (Sumitra Gupta Foundation for the Arts), and Co-Producers Tillotama Shome, Dheer Momaya (Jugaad Motion Pictures), Sidharth Meer (Bridge PostWorks), Dominique Welinski and Isabelle Glachant (Shasha & Co), Prashant Nair (Nomad Media & Entertainment), Anjali Patil (Anahat Films), Anu Rangachar (Gratitude Films), Ishaan Chandhok (Criss Cross Content), and Shruti Ganguly (honto88). 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *