Leena Yadav's Parched trailer is compelling, uninhibited

Parched, directed by Leena Yadav, is a story of three women breaking the chains that bind them.

After a long time hemming and hawing, Yadav's acclaimed Parched is set to be released on Indian screens later this month.

Starring Radhika Apte, Surveen Chawla and Tannishtha Chatterjee, the film is set in rural Rajasthan and tells the tale of women trying to free themselves from societal and traditional ruts. The film has already won 18 awards across 24 film festivals, and is one of the most awaited films of the year for cinephiles.

Set in the village of Ujhaas, the film tells the story of Rani, Lajjo and Bijli who are caught in a web of never-ending misery and abuse. They struggle against centuries of tradition, societal conceit and discrimination, which prevent them from pursuing their dreams. Tired of being used and abused, they decide to take control of their destiny. 

The trailer's visceral violence and refreshing honesty are prominent takeaways. Apte and Chawla look compelling in their roles.

The film also has some serious pedigree in the technical departments. Russell Carpenter, who won the Oscar for cinematography for Titanic (1997), sound engineer Paul NJ Ottosson, Oscar winner for Zero Dark Thirty (2012) and The Hurt Locker (2008), and editor Kevin Tent, Oscar nominee for The Descendants (2011), have added to the beautiful look of the trailer. This makes it one of the films to watch out for this year. It already looks to have managed a casting coup with Chatterjee, Apte, Adil Hussain and Chawla in the film. 

Parched has been produced by Ajay Devgn Films and will be distributed by Reliance Entertainment. The film is expected to be released in India with an 'A' certificate, on 23 September.