What does it mean to grow old with grace, laughter and the joy of companionship? How is old age perceived in the current world? At a time when old age and ageing are viewed through the lens of decline, writer-filmmaker Tanuja Chandra’s documentary film, Aunty Sudha Aunty Radha, offers an intimate answer to the above questions in a quiet yet powerful way, drawn not from fiction but from her own family.
Ahead of the film’s screening at the Bangalore International Centre on September 18, Chandra reflects on what began as a personal project and eventually grew into an organic process of capturing ageing, sisterhood, and the subtle beauty of ordinary lives. Set in a sun-dappled village home in Uttar Pradesh, the film follows two elderly widowed sisters – Chandra’s paternal aunts – as they navigate the mundanity of daily life with a bit of humour at heart.
Known for her strong female characters and emotionally resonant stories in films like Dushman and Qarib Qarib Singlle, Chandra’s entry into cinema was organic. “We’ve always loved books and stories in my family,” she shares, adding, “My mother, Kamna Chandra, is a writer herself, and one of my films was adapted from her radio play. So it was quite a natural journey into filmmaking for me.”
With Aunty Sudha Aunty Radha, Chandra turned the camera inward, to her childhood and adult reflections. “I’ve always enjoyed the company of my vibrant and fun aunts. They were hugely entertaining and inspiring and their stories stayed with me,” she notes. It was only after they retired to their village home that she felt a need from within to document their lives. “When my mom told me about the adopted family of the help that practically lives with them, it felt like a complete film subject. They are so much more modern than many far younger than them,” she adds.
Despite the emotional depth of their story, the filming process was anything but difficult for her. “It was all quite effortless, actually,” Chandra admits. “They loved having us over, spoke so openly, fed us, and made us laugh. It felt comfortable for my small crew of talented friends and me to be there.”
Her biggest learning? “Too many life lessons to list,” she reflects, “But the one that stands out is to embrace what makes you happy, especially at the end of one’s life. The only thing left to chase is a joyful and comfortable sisterhood.” She also noted the film’s most touching response so far. “A young woman told me she rushed to visit her nani after watching the film. That means everything for me,” she highlights.
For Chandra, the documentary is one of her proudest achievements. “It hasn’t had the noisy fame that big films do, but it has captured people’s hearts, and that’s what storytellers long for.” As for the aunties themselves? “They thought it was fine,” she laughs. “The younger one said I made her immortal. I told her, ‘You did that for me’.”
When asked what she hopes Bengaluru audiences will take away, Chandra humbly says, referring to the dignity of old age. “Whatever their hearts desire. And I hope they are inspired by the strength of these two aged women.”
(Aunty Sudha and Aunty Radha will be screened on September 18, 6.30pm at Bangalore International Centre, Domlur. For details, visit bangaloreinternationalcentre.org)