My sari carried my roots & my resilience: Anuparna Roy

Anuparna Roy, the filmmaker whose film Songs of Forgotten Trees made waves at the Venice Film Festival, calls her victory “a win for Purulia, for Bengal, for women, and for cinema.” The Bengal girl became the first Indian filmmaker to win the Best Director Award in the Orizzonti (Horizons) section at Venice – a coveted prize that recognises and celebrates new voices in world cinema. Her journey, she says, was anything but predictable.

From juggling multiple jobs to carving her space in Mumbai’s film industry, Anuparna shaped her voice through persistence, passion, and faith. In a candid conversation with CT, she opened up about the inspirations, struggles, and personal experiences behind her celebrated debut. She says, "This film is dedicated to my childhood friend Jhuma. She was my first friend. By class VIII, she was married off and we lost touch. I’ve been trying to find her ever since. In many ways, this film is for her."

For Anuparna, success was hard won. “I spent three years writing the script,” she shares. “By the time I went on the floor, I had only written 50 scenes. The rest followed naturally during shooting.” Her film, exploring the bond of two migrant women in Mumbai, was woven from memories, silences, and friendships drawn from her own life. Reflecting on her support system, she adds, “I am grateful to all my producers for giving me confidence in Bombay’s film ecosystem. What touched me most was that all these men stood behind a female-oriented film. That gave me faith in the structure of the industry.”

'Durga Puja is more special this time as our Devi is coming back home'

“Never in our dreams did we think something like this would happen,” said Anuparna’s father, Brahmananda Roy. “She has always been a bright, hardworking girl, with a flair for writing and a deeply observant nature. Losing touch with her childhood friend, who was married off early, deeply affected her and inspired her film. At first, we thought she wanted to act and discouraged her, as any middle-class parents might, but she was persistent. She wanted to be a scriptwriter, and her talent far exceeds even her own belief. Today, to see her win this prize feels like a blessing we never imagined. This Durga Puja is more special, as our Devi is coming home with that honour.” Her mom, Manisha, echoes that sentiment: “Like any middle-class family, we initially discouraged her from pursuing films. Gradually, we supported her, and now we are immensely proud that she has brought the award home — not just for us, but for Purulia and for Bengal.”

'That night my sari carried both my roots and my resistance'

At Venice, Anuparna’s sari was more than attire, it was a declaration. Designed by her friend Muskan Mittal, it featured Purulia’s tribal wall paintings alongside the colours of the Palestinian flag. “I love saris,” she said. “This one was designed by my friend Muskan. I wanted to showcase Purulia’s paintings on the sari. At the same time, it carries Palestine’s flag. I wanted to showcase the art along with the flag which is being targeted. That was the idea.” The sari, she adds, became part of her Venice moment: “When I walked up to receive the Orizzonti Best Director Award in that sari, it felt like I was carrying both my roots and my resistance with me on stage.”