Anita has been selected for the short film section of Venice International Film Festival that opens on September 2.
An expat wife dreams of taking up a job and coaxes her husband to talk to her father about it. When the topic is broached during their visit home to attend a wedding, as expected, two questions come up. Would she have the time for cooking? Is the husband facing any kind of financial trouble? Anita, a Gujarati short film, written and directed by Sushma Khadepaun, is a restrained but resolute exploration of the titular central character’s attempt to go beyond the roles assigned to a woman by the society and the disillusionment that she experiences.
Anita has been selected for the short film section of the Venice International Film Festival that opens on September 2. In 2016, the New York-based Khadepaun started developing this idea as a feature-length script. She, later, decided to make a short film to explore the characters and the key relationship of Anita (played by Aditi Vasudev) and her husband, Vikram (Mitra Gadhvi). “The story is inspired from my personal experience of moving to the US. Like many people around the world, I grew up with the belief that a woman who moves to America lives an exciting, independent life. Anita is an exploration of this myth of the independent, expat wife and questions if it is truly possible to move away from societal conditioning that is toxic yet familiar,” says the writer-director, who has an MFA in screenwriting and direction from Columbia University.
The 17-minute film, which examines the traditional society’s rigid expectations from a woman without considering her desires, was initially set in the US. However, due to production and funding challenges, Khadepaun moved it to India. The change in location made a big impact on the script. “My script is deeply affected by casting and location choices. I had 14 drafts of the script before production began,” she says. Producer Ankur Singh, who had earlier collaborated with Khadepaun on her previous short Foren, stepped in when Anita’s setting changed to India.
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Aditi Vasudev in Gujarati short film Anita.
Once the cast was finalised, they rehearsed over two weeks in Mumbai. This was followed by a four-day shoot in Tithal, Gujarat. “The most challenging yet rewarding process was working with Aditi and Mitra in planning an intimate scene that is a six-minute long single take. It was a great learning process for all of us because it involved choreography, blocking and tremendous vulnerability from both the actors,” says the writer-director. Kadepaun, who is a screenwriting advisor for Sundance Collab, has directed three more short films including Rotten Egg and Clay.
As Anita, who dreams of a career in real estate, Vasudev carries the film’s weight. “Aditi’s commitment to the role was everything a director could hope for. Firstly, she doesn’t speak Gujarati and I had cast her as the lead of a Gujarati film. She not only learnt the language for this film but also attended my family gatherings to observe nuances,” says Khadepaun.
Singh, who has worked on feature film Loev (2016), hopes that Anita will travel to more festivals. “It will be amazing to see what audiences around the world feel about this story from a small town in Gujarat. This film is a proof of concept for Sushma’s feature film, Salt, which is set in India and the US. We hope the exposure will help us to establish the co-production possibilities,” says the producer.
Alaka Sahani is a prominent film critic and journalist based in Mumbai. With a career spanning over two decades, she has established herself as one of India’s most authoritative voices in cinematic journalism, known for an analytical approach and insights that transcend the standard cycle of celebrity journalism.
Expertise & Accolades
In 2014, Alaka was honoured with the National Film Award for Best Film Critic. Her Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus) citation specifically lauded her for "highlighting facets of cinema beyond glamour and gossip" and for her ability to delve into the contemporary relevance of iconic filmmakers. Her commitment to journalistic integrity was further recognised in 2019 with a Special Mention at the Red Ink Awards for her investigative feature, 'In Search of a Star'. Her article titled 'People Like Us', published in The Indian Express on March 27, 2022, was shortlisted for Red Ink Award, 2023.
Global Industry Leadership
Alaka’s expertise is sought after by major international and domestic film bodies:
Golden Globes: In 2025, she joined the international voting body for the 83rd Annual Golden Globes.
National Film Awards: She served on the prestigious jury for the 68th National Film Awards, helping select the finest contributions to Indian cinema.
Global Perspective: Her work consistently bridges the gap between commercial Bollywood A-listers and emerging independent talents, offering nuanced insights into both Indian regional cinema and international film trends.
Focus & Vision
Beyond the screen, Alaka is a dedicated observer of Mumbai’s vibrant theatre scene and the historical evolution of the moving image. Through her long-form articles and deep-dive interviews, she continues to challenge "tried-and-tested" templates, providing readers with a deep understanding of the artistic and systemic workings of the Indian and global film industry. ... Read More
Anita has been selected for the short film section of Venice International Film Festival that opens on September 2.
Aditi Vasudev in Gujarati short film Anita.