French sales outfit Loco Films has acquired international rights to “Tiger’s Pond” (Vagachipani), the latest film championed by celebrated Indian auteur Anurag Kashyap. The dark crime drama, directed by emerging filmmaker Natesh Hegde, is set to make its world premiere at the Berlin Film Festival‘s Forum strand.
Kashyap, whose producing credits include festival favorites like “The Lunchbox,” backs the project alongside Singapore-based producer Jeremy Chua (Cannes winner “Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell”) and producer Ranjan Singh (Cannes selection “Kennedy”). The film charts the collision course between a feudal businessman attempting to manipulate local elections and a defiant outcast villager, promising “rapturous textures and treacherous depths” in its exploration of rural power dynamics.
The cast includes Dileesh Pothan, Achyut Kumar, Natesh Hegde, Gopal Hegde and Sumitra.
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Hegde’s “Pedro” was in the New Currents competition at the Busan International Film Festival in 2021 and “Tiger’s Pond” participated in the festival’s Asian Project Market in 2022.
“Pedro” won best director for Hegde at Pingyao, best film at the Nantes Three Continents Festival, and had a stellar festival run including the BFI London Film Festival, Golden Horse and IndieLisboa.
“I loved Pedro and I loved Natesh when i met him at various film festivals,” Kashyap told Variety. “We acted together with Dilesh Pothan in ‘Rifle Club.’ That’s when he told me about ‘Tiger’s Pond’ and I was happy to come on board.”
Hegde praised the collaboration with Loco’s Laurent Daniélou and Arnaud Godart, noting their passion for “aesthetically daring films.”
“Discovering ‘Tiger’s Pond’ was a true cinematic experience,” says Arnaud Godart, head of sales and acquisitions at Loco Films. “Natesh Hegde succeeds in taking us on an intimate and captivating journey. We are delighted to be working with this new voice of Indian cinema and to help him reach an international audience.”
“I’m so happy and excited to share the film with the world at one of greatest film festivals, Berlinale,” Hegde adds. “It’s been a great effort making and carrying this film. This kind of film needs care and one should nurture it. I’m sure no better person than Anurag Kashyap, Jeremy Chua and Ranjan Singh for that.”