States » SouthPosted at: Sep 27 2026 2:55PM


‘Appam and Apologies’ marks aspiring filmmaker Anuradha Indira’s return to cinema

Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 27 (UNI) A last-minute submission that led to an unexpected selection has brought aspiring filmmaker Anuradha Indira back into the cinema space with her short film Appam and Apologies at the 18th International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala (IDSFFK).
The film’s selection has come as a confidence boost for Anuradha, who said persistent self-doubt had been part of her filmmaking journey.
“We are all working with self-doubt. At least in my case, this made me feel that I’m not wrong in the path I chose and that I can take the next step forward,” she said.
The title Appam and Apologies is drawn from the Christian tradition of Pesaha Appam, which forms part of the backdrop of the film. The connection between the festival occasion and the film’s narrative led to the title.
The IDSFFK screening is also the world premiere of the film and marks the first time it is being presented before a larger audience. Anuradha said she was both nervous and excited to see how the film would work with an audience.
“How the entire film is going to work for a larger group is something I’m nervous and excited about,” she said.
For Anuradha, the short film represents another step in an evolution that began with assisting filmmakers and experimenting with different forms of cinema. She has worked with filmmaker Gireesh AD on his short-film projects and considers the experience an important influence on her filmmaking process.
Her own projects, including Appam and Apologies, grew out of a desire to move beyond assisting and explore what she could do independently.
She also credits her husband as her “biggest rock” and says she values his ideas and discussions on filmmaking. Her earlier quarantine short film Hello emerged from conversations between the two about what they could create during the pandemic.
Anuradha had stepped away from the cinema space following the birth of her child, though she continued writing. The period was also marked by persistent self-doubt.
“One day I would feel I’m doing well, and the next day it would be the opposite. It’s a cycle,” she said.
Appam and Apologies gave her an opportunity to examine where she stood as a filmmaker as well as a person. Unlike some of her earlier filmmaking exercises, she approached the project more seriously, drawing on what she had learnt over the previous four years through books, cinema and conversations with people.
“I have changed as a person too. I’m a mother, and the journey was different during this time. This was another learning experience for me,” she said.
Anuradha’s filmmaking interests remain rooted in everyday human relationships. She is particularly drawn to ordinary stories unfolding around her and wants to explore relationships beyond romantic narratives.
“I want to tell stories of human relationships — not just romantic relationships, but relationships between siblings, parents and others,” she said.
She sees self-doubt as an unavoidable part of the filmmaking process and believes that continuous learning is essential. Rather than offering advice to others, she said filmmakers need to maintain an attitude of growth and remain open to criticism.
“Most of the days will be where we think we can’t do anything. But we need to have an attitude that’s ready to grow,” she said, adding that criticism could become a source of motivation for improvement.
After considerable time away from the cinema space, the IDSFFK selection has given Anuradha an opportunity to return to filmmaking. Her long-term ambition remains to write and direct films on subjects she cares about and find ways of presenting them that enable audiences to connect with the stories.
UNI DS
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