Fresh off the Sundance-winning “Girls Will Be Girls,” Indian actor-producers Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal have unveiled a further slate from their Pushing Buttons Studios.
Directed by Shuchi Talati, “Girls Will Be Girls” is the debut production from Pushing Buttons Studios, in collaboration with Crawling Angels, Blink Digital and Dolce Vita Films. It bowed at Sundance in January and won the audience choice award for best film and the jury award for best actor for lead Preeti Panigrahi. The film earned a rave review from PvNew.
The upcoming slate includes crime thriller “Papita” by Akash Bhatia (Netflix’s “Run Lola Run” adaptation “Looop Lapeta”), which follows Porus Bisht, a Mumbai paparazzi photographer with a knack for voyeurism who aspires to transcend his profession and become a respected photographer. His story takes a turn when he captures a pivotal moment involving a renowned celebrity, altering both his career and life.
The lineup also includes adult animation “Doggie Stylez” by Ashutosh Pathak (short “Tasveer”), a tongue-in-cheek satire on modern humans told through the lens of a society of dogs imitating human values and failing; and musical comedy “Pinky Promise” written by Amitosh Nagpal (“Hindi Medium”), in which dancer Pinky and singer Goldie, who hail from feuding families, find themselves entangled in a forbidden love, creating a modern-day “Romeo and Juliet” tale.
In addition, documentary “RiAlity” by Rahul Singh Datta (short “Any Given Sunday”), delves into the lives of the Pushing Buttons principals Chadha and Fazal and the whirlwind surrounding their wedding. And from veteran Kamal Swaroop (“Om Dar-B-Dar”) comes fantasy drama “Miss Palmoliv All Night Cabaret,” which follows a revolutionary celibate bandit, Bhavani Singh, and a cabaret dancer, Miss Palmolive, who embark on a platonic musical journey through the fantastical world of Cinemata, where the government discovers that only a kiss can defeat him.
Chadha said: “We are driven by a passion for storytelling and a commitment to bring fresh, diverse narratives to the forefront. The success of ‘Girls Will Be Girls’ at Sundance has fueled our determination to continue pushing creative boundaries.”
Fazal added, “Pushing Buttons Studios is not just a production house; it’s a platform for artists to collaborate, experiment, and create memorable experiences for audiences. We are excited about the diverse range of projects in our pipeline.”
