'Bird of a Different Feather': A film highlighting Albinism wins big at Shanghai Film Festival
BENGALURU: Imagine a world devoid of colour, a monotonous expanse of gray stretching endlessly. Bleak, isn’t it? The vibrancy of life comes from the diversity of cultures, ethnicities, perspectives, and experiences. These countless differences we possess, both as individuals and as a collective, form the rich fabric of human experience, making life interesting and meaningful.
The film Bird of a Different Feather captures this essence, exploring the often-overlooked condition of Albinism and the resilience of the human spirit. The directorial debut of actor Manohara made waves at the recently-concluded Shanghai Film Festival, earning nominations in four categories and securing the Best Actor award for 12-year-old debutante Jayashree at the festival’s Asian New Talent Awards. The film is based on Sonia S’ memoir, Mikka Bannada Hakki, with a screenplay by Sonia and Manohara, originally penned in 2019 when both were just 17 years old.
“I feel very proud and happy, especially for Jayashree winning the Best Actor award. The recognition says a lot about how the film turned out,” shares Manohara, who hopes the film raises awareness about Albinism. “The condition leaves people suffering from it with poor eyesight, severe back pain, and other physical issues.
But they also face significant social stigma and discrimination due to the way they look. Yet, people with such profound problems manage to break out of their bounds and stand as shining examples. Most of us do not have such problems, yet we often fail to appreciate what we have,” says the 22-year-old.
Sonia echoes this sentiment. “Many people do not know what Albinism is, and I feel the film will be crucial in raising that awareness. Hopefully, it will help someone avoid feeling as lonely or struggling as much as I did,” she says.
For Sonia, her memoir was her way of telling the world that it is okay to be different and still celebrate life; a spirit that the film carries forward. “Differences are beautiful, diversity is beautiful. As an Albino, I have learned to love myself now. However, during my school days, I did not have that self-love. I used to be in physical pain due to various health issues.Friends play an important role at that age, and I didn’t have many, leaving me feeling isolated. Having healthy relationships was difficult because I was different from everyone else. All these things took a heavy toll. It took me a lot of time to accept that I was different and even longer to love myself for who I am,” she shares.
Having garnered the Best Child Actor award at the National Film Awards in 2017 for Prithvi Konanur’s Railway Children, Manohara’s transition from actor to filmmaker was seamless. He credits his close collaboration with Konanur, having acted in nearly all his films and assisted on the film Hadinelentu.
The journey to Bird of a Different Feather began when Manohara read Sonia’s memoir at Konanur’s suggestion, detailing her experiences growing up with Albinism. “Before I read Sonia’s book, I knew very little about Albinism, just like most others. Then, I became increasingly fascinated with the transformation she goes through,” Manohara explains, who is now eager to explore new themes in his filmmaking.
What is Albinism?
A congenital condition characterised by a lack of the pigment melanin, resulting in white hair, light skin, and eyes that can appear pink or blue. Apart from social and psychological problems due to their appearance, individuals with Albinism typically have poor eyesight and are more susceptible to the harmful effects of ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun