21st Tiffin strikes a different note. An intimate story on human emotion and relationships, a feature film with a protagonist without a name is being screened at the ongoing 52nd International Film Festival of India in Goa.
“It’s an intimate story on human emotion and relationships. We have tried to depict the lives of all women who have lost their identity, in the service of others. That’s the reason we have not given any name to the protagonist,” film director Vijaygiri Bava says on the sideline of the festival being held from November 20 to 28, 2021.
Produced by Vijaygiri Filmos, the film is based on Gujarati writer Raam Mori’s Sahitya Akademi award-winning book. The author was also present on the occasion. The cast includes Niilam Paanchal, Raunaq Kamdar and Netrie.
From being a mother to a wife, from a daughter to a sister; women are an epitome of sacrifice and selflessness. How often do we pause and pay our heartfelt gratitude to them?
Bava says he brought out 21st Tiffin as a tribute to all those women who have lost their identity in the process of tireless service to keep others happy.
The movie tells the story of a middle-aged woman who is busy in serving others within her family and outsiders by providing tiffin box. The lady runs a tiffin service by herself, in addition to performing her various duties as a wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend.
It turns out that in this process, she ends up never bothering about herself. Her daughter Nitu notices that her mother plays all her roles well, yet finds something amiss in her behaviour. Things change when a young boy named Dhruv, who comes to the lady as the 21st customer of her tiffin service, begins to appreciate her. This sudden entry of little admiration takes away the affliction in the lady’s behaviour.
Bava said that Gujarat is usually known for business and trade, but there are very good artists in the state. “Our art and artists are underrepresented in national and international platform.”
He expressed his happiness for the opportunity for his film to be featured at IFFI, in the Feature Film Category of the Indian Panorama Section. “I am so elated that my film finds a place at this prestigious festival. I am thankful to the jury members for selecting our film”.
He said that the film has been shot in sink-sound mode without any dubbing and patchwork, that too within no more than eight days, amidst the challenges of COVID-19 pandemic. (Inputs from PIB)
Vijaygiri Bava is a well-known filmmaker in Gujarati Cinema. His award winning feature films include ‘Premji: Rise of a Warrior’ (2016) and ‘Montu Ni Bittu’ (2019).
