Geetanjali Kulkarni, Namit Das, Saba Azad to star in Rumana Molla’s maiden directorial venture Minimum

Actress Rumana Molla will make her debut as a director and writer with the movie Minimum.

Set in Belgium, the film will star Saba Azad, Geetanjali Kulkarni, Namit Das and Molla herself. It is being produced by Shiladitya Bora and Radhika Lavu’s respective banners Platoon One Films and Ellanar Films. 

A statement from the makers read, “Minimum follows the story of newlywed immigrant Fauzia. [She] lands in a house that isn’t hers with her mother-in-law, Ruxana, who insidiously keeps her captive. She finds out that everything she had been told about her husband Ali was a lie and loses all hope until a French tutor, Laurie, is hired to teach her the basics. An atypical friendship is forged, secrets are revealed and Fauzia learns to demand more than the bare minimum.” 

Speaking about her experience, Molla said in a statement, “I’ve always felt inclined towards writing and it was just a matter of finding the right story that stood the test of time. The inspiration for Minimum came from my own observations. I have seen a lot of transactional marriages of different kinds. Especially abroad, there are a lot of people who get married but don’t reveal the entire truth about themselves. But more than that, the uniqueness of the film will lie in its treatment of such situations – exploring our cultural differences with warmth, affection and humour.” 

Sharing her reason for signing the film, Kulkarni added, “First of all, I liked the story a lot. It is a very honest and detailed depiction of the life of an immigrant family. The character I am playing is a person who is a survivor trying her best so that she and her son could live a better life. Rumana is a young and promising director and I’m very much looking forward to working with her.”

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“I was intrigued by the name itself,” said Das. “Whatever Shiladitya does, I find it very hatke [different] and soulful. As I drowned myself in the script, I realized that it’s a deceptively simple film with complex layers. I’m fascinated by the world of these characters.” 

On being directed by Molla, he added, “Right away in my first meeting with her, I realized that she knows what she wants, and that’s the best quality of a director. I love her warmth and her vision. Minimum is her world that she dreamt about and is bringing to life and I can't wait to dive into it!”

The makers aim to release Minimum in the summer of 2023.