Purulia to Venice: Anuparna’s story from overcoming parents’ objection to winning coveted film award

“Initially, we objected to her working in the film line. We were concerned. I think as parents, it was normal. We knew nothing of the filmmaking profession. We objected to her changing jobs frequently and spending all the money from her salary in filmmaking,” Anupurna’s father said.

“We mocked her by saying: Will you become Satyajit Ray? She used to say she can’t be Ray, but she will not stop working in films. She was adamant and strong-willed from the beginning. Now, we see we were wrong. She proved herself,” added Brahmananda.

According to her parents, Anuparna had her fair share of struggles. “She stayed in a rented apartment with two other girls in Mumbai. I even sent her some money, which she used in her films,” said her father.

“We were worried for her and what she was doing because we never understood films. But it was her passion, and today, we see where our daughter has gone. From a village in Purulia to Italy to win the award,” added her mother.

The poster of the film

“She stayed in a rented apartment with two other girls in Mumbai. I even sent her some money, which she used in her films,” the father said.
Notably, the Songs of Forgotten Trees, which won the award, depicts the story of two women who share an apartment in Mumbai and develop a deep connection despite their different backgrounds.

“When she called us from Italy and gave us the news, we could not believe our ears. She said she has “finally won”. It took us some time to realise what she achieved…We are elated,” said 63-year-old Brahmananda, a retired colliery officer.

Anuparna, who hails from Narayanpur village under Nitoria police station in Purulia, passed her Madhyamik from Ranipur Colliery School and her Higher Secondary from Napara High School. “She did her graduation with honours in English from Kulti College. Since childhood, she has been fond of reading books and writing. Then she went to Delhi to study mass communication. She then suddenly moved to Mumbai, where she did a number of jobs, including in IT sales,” said Anuparna’s 57-year-old mother.

In a statement at the Venice film festival, Anuparna said: “I come from a village where girls are married off early, given rations instead of books in government institutes. My friend Jhuma was married at 13 under a state scheme, then she vanished. Her silence stayed with me. ‘Songs of Forgotten Trees’ is shaped by such memories about women surviving systems designed to erase them… My film is an attempt to reclaim narrative space for the unseen, the complex, and the quietly resilient.”

While accepting the award, the 29-year-old filmmaker spoke on the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict. She said it’s “a responsibility to stand by Palestine”. “Every child deserves peace, freedom, liberation, and Palestinians are no exception… It’s a responsibility at the moment to stand by Palestine. I might upset my country, but it doesn’t matter to me anymore,” she said.

In a post on X, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee congratulated her. “… No Indian director has won this award in this category before her… This can practically be called a conquest of the world in the realm of cinema,” she said.

“Her roots are in Junglemahal, Rangamati. Her crowning achievement is a victory for the girls of our state,” the chief minister said, adding Roy’s achievement at such a prestigious platform is a testament to her talent, creativity, and resilience.

Governor CV Ananda Bose, in a congratulatory message to Anuparna, said she “has brought glory to her native place Purulia and West Bengal”.

Anupama is scheduled to return to Mumbai on Monday, after which she will come home. “Whenever she comes home from Mumbai, she makes me cook rice and mutton for her. We are waiting for her to return,” her mother said.

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