Pan Nalin, producer and director of Indian Oscar-shortlisted film “Last Film Show,” has boarded Subhadra Mahajan’s debut feature “Second Chance” as an executive producer.
Mahajan previously served as assistant director on Nalin’s “Echo of Eco,” “Angry Indian Goddesses,” “Beyond the Known World” and “Last Film Show.”
“Second Chance,” now in the final stages of post-production, was launched at India’s Film Bazaar co-production market in 2020, and has participated in labs and development programs includingFilm Independent Global Media Makers Program 2022, the Cannes market co-production day 2021 and Produire Au Sud Kolkata.
The film follows city girl Nia who visits her family home in the western Himalayas after a decade, in the dead of winter, alone. An illicit abortion paired with a stinging abandonment has broken her spirit. The caretaker of the house departs, leaving his old mother-in-law, Bhemi, a weathered mountain woman, in charge, along with his live wire of a young son, Sunny. The three of them soon find themselves bound together beyond age and class divides.
Production companies on the film include metanormal Motion Pictures (Tribeca selection “Aamis”) and Latent Pictures. The film is produced by metanormal’s Shyam Bora, with the company’s Bhaskar Hazarika serving as co-producer alongside Sidharth Meer for Bridge PostWorks and Naren Chandavarkar for Moonweave Films. Cinematographer Swapnil Suhas Sonawane (“Last Film Show”) is also an executive producer.
Nalin said: “Subhadra Mahajan’s tackling of urban India’s turmoil reflected through this solo character dwarfed by the mighty Himalayas, instantly grabbed me with its refreshing cinematic vistas, rarely seen in Indian cinema. It’s a young woman’s world, it has a unique urban Indian female director’s regard, and Mahajan brings her Himalayan roots into play with authenticity and lyricism. Swapnil Sonawane, known for his work in ‘Last Film Show,’ ‘Newton’ and ‘Sacred Games,’ creates a splendid black and white world, a pure cinematic delight that elevates the theme of ‘Second Chance’ to unexplored heights. We plan to premiere ‘Second Chance’ at a major festival in 2024.”
Mahajan added: “As a young woman who grew up in contemporary India between the urban cities and the rustic Himalayas, ‘Second Chance’ is inspired by personal experiences and encounters. The story explores the theme of healing, a process as unexplainable as it is wondrous; and unlikely friendships, far too underrated for their value in the divisive world we inhabit. My intention as the writer-director is to have the audiences witness a tale set in a part of the world they have never seen before, but with an emotional crux that they can relate to, and leave renewed with the faith at their own personal second chances in life.”
Bora said: “At metanormal, we want to nurture and guide emerging filmmakers to express their vision boldly. Subhadra’s story is a powerful tale of a young urban Indian woman’s turmoil in a culture caught between modern lifestyle and personal emptiness in the backdrop of a stunning Himalayan winter. We can’t wait to bring our film to audiences. My first films were with Nalin (‘Faith Connections,’ ‘Angry Indian Goddesses’), and we are so happy and excited to have him on board ‘Second Chance’.”
