Achar & Co, which is set in the 1960s-70s, marks the debut of filmmaker Sindhu Sreenivasa Murthy who cherishes all things retro, and wants to transport the audience into a transformative era showcasing the resilience of women breaking stereotypes.
“I am a big retro buff and cherish the simplicity of the 70s, 80s, and 90s when technology and social media were not dominant. It was a time when interpersonal relationships held great significance, and the enchanting melodies of legends like Mohammed Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar deeply influenced me, making me an old-school person,’ says Sindhu ahead of the film’s release on July 28.
“While exploring my interest in films and pursuing it, I discovered how women unknowingly broke stereotypes during the 60s, paving the way for the importance they have today. This realisation inspired me to set the story in the 1960s, capturing a moment of significant change,” she adds.
Achar & Co narrates the journey of ten siblings navigating life and societal structures in an orthodox Bengaluru family of the 60s. The process of casting and finding suitable locations for the film posed significant challenges to the director. “With meticulous research and the help of talented individuals like Vishwas Kashyap (art director), Inchara Suresh (costume designer), and Trilok (dialogue writer), we managed to recreate the authenticity of the 60s till the early 70s period,’ she says.
Sindhu also takes pride in her cast, who primarily come from a theatre background as they brought discipline, preparation, and authenticity to their roles. “Their performances, alongside the experience of actors like Ashok and Sudha Belawadi, contributed to a celebration of talent among the cast and crew,” she says.
While Sindhu expressed her gratitude to Puneeth Rajkumar and Ashwini for their support and encouragement throughout the project, she also emphasised that the all-female cast and crew came together organically based on merit and skills, rather than gender. ‘I first pitched the story of Achar & Co to Puneeth Sir in 2020, who also passed the subject to Ashwini mam to read through it, and after a few rounds of discussion, we got a green signal. I don’t know how to talk about Puneeth in the past tense. But I just want to say they are both encouraging and supportive throughout the process. I was chosen on merit, not based on gender. Every time I came up with the idea of fresh faces and artists from a theatre background, they were extremely understanding,’ she says.
Initially, Sindhu had planned to pursue acting, having been part of theatre and various acting experiences. However, fate lead her to discover her passion for direction. “I had worked in French Biriyani. I was in Hope, and I was in the Telugu film, Cinema Mandi. Basically, my debut as an actor started with Brahman Naman, and I did some web series. I have acting experience, but this is the first time I am trying to write and direct,” she signs off.