Corruption and Dissent in an Indian Housing Society: ‘Republic of Mahalaxmi Apartment’

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First-time feature director Niladri Mukherjee’s “Republic of Mahalaxmi Apartment,” a satirical drama about corruption and suppression of dissent in an Indian housing society, has been selected for the Hong Kong — Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF), the project market that operates concurrently with Hong Kong FilMart.

The Hindi-language project, produced by Aditya Vikram Sengupta and Priyankar Patra of For Films, is seeking funds and co-producers to complete its $216,000 budget. The producers have secured approximately $20,000 from Indian sources thus far.

The film follows Vidya, a single mother and idealist who moves into Mahalaxmi Apartment as a tenant. After experiencing a terrifying elevator malfunction, she reports it to Sharma, the building’s egotistical president, who dismisses her concerns as those of an “outsider.” When her warnings about impending danger fall on deaf ears due to residents’ blind faith in Sharma, Vidya uncovers corruption within the housing society and is branded an enemy of the people when she attempts to expose the truth.

Mukherjee comes from a background in Hindustani classical music and studied film. His previous short films, including “Cheshtha Procheshtha” (2020), “Nine” (2019), and “Do Nadiyon Ki Tehzeeb” (2019), have been showcased at various film festivals, while his first short, “When the Rain Said” (2017), was acquired by ShortsTV India.

“I never actually planned for ‘Republic of Mahalaxmi Apartment’ to be the one and only story I would tell for my debut,” Mukherjee said. “However, when I was writing the initial drafts of the film, I couldn’t help but notice the increasing phenomenon of global administrators and leaders blatantly denying serious issues like climate crisis, pollution of natural resources, and lapses in public safety. And when anyone tries to speak out, the whole world somehow goes against them. This thought bothered me deeply, that we have to think twice before speaking the truth or standing up against what is wrong.”

Mukherjee explained that the idea came from his own experiences. “The genesis of the idea came from my experience living in my apartment in my hometown several years ago. For some reason, the power struggles among people trying to hold authority were quite dramatic, leading to ugly fights, corruption, and the breakdown of friendships,” he said. “I observed a terrible level of discrimination and othering among residents, particularly based on religion and a woman’s marital status. These experiences made me realise that these apartments are a microcosm of a nation.”

The director hopes the film will resonate with audiences beyond its setting. “I hope the film encourages the audience to reflect on the idea of dissent and the importance of speaking up at the right time. Using satire as the tone, I’ve aimed to make the story more accessible,” Mukherjee added.

For Films founder Sengupta, who won the Fedeora Award for best director of a debut film for “Labour of Love” (2014), expressed his commitment to support debut filmmakers. “I’ve always wanted to support debut films, because no one wanted to do my first film, and I had to kind of put money together, use my savings up, and finally make it,” Sengupta said. “‘Republic of Mahalaxmi’ is a very controlled film. It’s set in a building, and the story is very compelling, but it talks about something much larger.”

Sengupta commented that the movie has the capacity to go beyond just festival screenings: “This film is incredibly relatable as many people are renters and live in apartment buildings, particularly in cities like Mumbai and Delhi. With proper production and strategic distribution, it could become a highly successful movie in terms of its impact on audiences emotionally and financially.

Co-producer Priyankar Patra, who previously produced Sengupta’s “Once Upon a Time in Calcutta” (2021), which also debuted at Venice, hopes to use HAF to connect with potential Asian co-producers.

“We’ve had exposure to a lot of co-producers in Europe, but I do want to know more about Asian co-producers and how we can collaborate with more creatives in Asia,” Patra said. “A creative reason behind this decision is also because the subject matter — challenges faced by tenants in a megacity, and the lack of proper tenancy laws — isn’t confined to just India. It’s a larger Asian problem.”

The producers plan to assemble their crew in the coming months, with a primary focus on casting the protagonist. “She will drive the story forward and a good actor at the helm of it is very important,” Patra noted. They hope to begin shooting by the end of the year.

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2025-03-17 03:23