A film festival invitation, a whispered allegation and an actor-turned-director choosing to finally speak up. That is the story unfolding around Aasmani, the directorial debut of actor Sayani Gupta, after the Indian Film Festival of New Zealand (TIFFNZ) withdrew its invitation to screen the short film.
Festival cites copyright and confidentiality concerns
According to Variety India, the withdrawal comes as a formal dispute over the film remains under process. Aasmani is co-produced by Nikkhi Advani for the Sumitra Gupta Foundation for Arts, alongside Dia Mirza and Ananya Rane.
TIFFNZ director Petrina D’Rozario confirmed the decision, saying the festival had withdrawn the letter of invitation for Aasmani and had informed the filmmaker. She said the festival’s responsibility was to protect the integrity of filmmakers and the platform it has built, and that stepping back from the screening was the collective, responsible course of action once a credible copyright and confidentiality concern was raised alongside an ongoing formal process. She clarified that the move was not a finding on the merits of the dispute but a precautionary step to keep TIFFNZ a fair and trusted platform.
Sayani Gupta denies allegations, calls film original
Breaking her silence, Gupta said, “I want to begin by clearly stating that Aasmani is an original film. Till now, I chose not to speak. Not because silence meant acceptance, nor because I had nothing to say.” She added, “Since the allegation was put forth before the appropriate authority, I followed due process and believed that facts should be placed there, and not tried through WhatsApp groups, inboxes or public opinion. But silence can sometimes bury the truth under noise.”
On the film’s origins, Gupta said, “I was born and raised in Bengal, in a world surrounded by stories, folklore, literature, philosophy and humour, long before I knew I would someday direct a film. My grandmother, a philosopher, had a seminal influence in shaping my world view. Her loss had a profound effect on me.” She said the story, which centres on a witty grandmother, her cheeky granddaughter and their observant powder blue car named Aasmani, is “a homage to the indomitable women whose shoulders I stand on today, and the values they instilled in me.”
Addressing the conflict directly, Gupta said, “A fellow FTII filmmaker has raised a concern. She has every right to raise a grievance. And I have respectfully held my truth. The claim has been made based on assumptions, without watching my short-fiction comedy film. And I had no idea about her ‘unfinished’ documentary project.” She added, “There is a difference between an allegation and a finding. What has been troubling to watch is this become a copyright issue when it absolutely isn’t one.”
She further said, “Copyright protects expression, not every shared idea or emotion. Ironically, this one experience has taught me more about copyright, than in the last 15 years. I am not a large studio or an institution standing across from an independent filmmaker. I am an independent filmmaker myself.” Gupta concluded, “My film is about freedom. And I believe freedom is the only thing worth fighting for. There is a difference between speaking loudly and speaking the truth. The rest belongs to facts, process and time.”
Written, directed and co-produced by Gupta under her banner Sayani Gupta Movies, Aasmani stars veteran actor Revathy alongside Daria Bedi and Abhay Kaul, and marks Gupta’s formal transition into filmmaking.
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