Sthal is personal as it is shot in the region and house where I was born and brought up: Director Jayant Digambar Somalkar

The debutant director subtly sets a rhythm between the multiple scenes of prospective suitors visiting Savita’s house to ‘interview’ her. However, they eventually reject her due to her dark complexion and farmer background. In one such conversation, a group of men can be seen discussing, “She seems fair, doesn’t she?” one of them asks, to which the other one shuts him by saying: “It is all make-up. Didn’t you notice her elbows?” The movie highlights multiple layers of social themes like farmer suicide, colourism, and casteism and exposes the hypocrisy of a double-faced world.

As Somalkar himself graced the screening alongside the film’s producers, audiences were treated not only to a cinematic masterpiece but also to a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the inspiration and creative process that brought this compelling story to life. During a conversation with the audience at the film festival, he revealed a personal experience that acted as a catalyst for the inspiration of this story.

“In 2016, I visited a girl’s house to find a potential match for my cousin. I didn’t ask questions (laughs). But I was surprised to see a girl made to sit in front of 10 people to answer questions for her marriage alliance. This first-hand experience compelled me to do something,” he said.

During the post-screening Q&A session, the director shed light on the meticulous process behind the casting and performance of the film. In a bold move to maintain authenticity and preserve the Vidarbha region’s dialect and language, he opted to cast non-professional actors from the local community. These individuals, imbued with a genuine connection to the land and its people, brought a raw authenticity to their performances, breathing life into the characters and ensuring an immersive cinematic experience for the audience. Somalkar said workshops were conducted to guide the actors in conveying the nuances of emotion and expression required for each scene. He said, “One of the major hurdles encountered during the shoot was the transition from rehearsing with a mobile camera on a wide angle to facing the professional camera for close-up shots, but with a lot of hard work it eventually happened.”

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The movie received applause and appreciation from a house-full of audience. Sthal manages to capture the raw emotions through its compassionate yet powerful storytelling. It starts a discussion on the topic of arranged marriage and presents the reality of matchmaking in India. Somalkar says that this film is a result of the pure trust that his producers reposed in him.