Well-known hairstylist Sapna Bhavnani is all set to make her directorial debut with a documentary titled Sindhustan. The film will be premiered at the New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF) on 9 May.
The film will see Bhavnani go back to her roots as she explores the history of the Sindhi community that migrated to India during the Partition. Bhavnani is known for the many tattoos on her body and, interestingly, they will play a prominent part in the film.
“Sindhustan is a fascinating exploration of the Sindhi community’s migration to India narrated through a series of extensively designed body tattoos, all of which are illustrated on Sapna Moti Bhavnani's body,” said an official statement from the makers.
The statement also mentioned that the title is derived from Asia’s largest river Sindh and the idea of the film is a result of the conversation Bhavnani had with her maternal grandmother years ago.
Speaking about the film, Bhavnani said in an official statement, “Sindhustan comes from a very personal space. I wanted to chronicle the history and heritage of the Sindhi community so that their legacy can be passed on to newer generations. And thus, Sindhustan was born.”
She is happy that the film will be screened at the NYIFF. “I am really glad that the film has been chosen for NYIFF 2019. It is a great platform to tell our story to the world and introduce them to history of the Sindhi community who were part of the largest migration to be ever witnessed. I am eagerly looking forward to the audience’s reaction to the film and hope they embrace it wholeheartedly,” she added.
The recently released teaser of Sindhustan features Bhavnani’s grandmother during her last moments.