Anurag Kashyap boards Venice-bound Indian film ‘Songs of Forgotten Trees’ as presenter

Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap has joined “Songs of Forgotten Trees” as presenter, lending his support to the film which is set to be screened at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival.

Directed by debutant Anuparna Roy, the film is the only Indian title to have its world premiere at the prestigious film gala, which will run this year from August 27 to September 6 at Venice Lido in Italy.

“Songs of Forgotten Trees”, which follows the evolving relationship between two migrant women in Mumbai, will be showcased in the Orizzonti section, an international competition for films that highlight new trends, with a focus on debut works, young talents, indie features, and lesser-known cinema.

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Starring Naaz Shaikh and Sumi Baghel, the movie is produced by Bibhanshu Rai, Romil Modi and Ranjan Singh.

“I have always believed in backing new talent, especially those who want to say something different, challenge the set norms by their ideas and beliefs,” Kashyap said in a statement.

“Ranjan and I have been associated with multiple such films over the years, and it’s amazing to see such raw talent continuously coming up. Anuparna is definitely one such voice and we feel proud and happy to back her first feature,” added the filmmaker.

According to the film’s official synopsis, “Songs of Forgotten Trees” follows the story of Thooya, a migrant and aspiring actress, who survives the city by leveraging beauty and wit, occasionally trading intimacy for opportunity.

“When she sublets her sugar daddy’s upscale apartment to Swetha, a fellow migrant working a corporate job, the two women—seemingly from different worlds—begin to share more than just a space. Amid the relentless pulse of Mumbai, they discover a silent empathy.

“But as personal histories, desires, and wounds resurface, their delicate connection is tested. What follows is not a rupture, but a strange and tender unfolding—of selfhood, of survival, of unexpected kinship,” it read.

Roy, who initially self-funded the film while juggling three corporate jobs in Mumbai, said her storytelling is motivated by the lives that mainstream narratives tend to ignore.

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“Despite having one of the largest film industries in the world by volume, we rarely tell stories of the marginalised—of those excluded by class, caste, and gender. I want to change that. I want to speak of the miseries I’ve witnessed and lived through, not just as an Indian but as a global citizen. I believe that telling these stories might give voice to the unheard, offer solace to some, and perhaps even inspire others. My search for this story began with the search for my childhood friend, Jhuma Nath, whose child marriage was carried out under a man-made social order and a failed government scheme. This film carries her memories,” she said.

“Songs of Forgotten Trees” is co-produced by Navin Shetty and Anuparna Roy.