Kunjo (2009)

Kunjo, a 12-year-old Rajasthani refugee, spends her days begging in the streets of a rural village in North India. When an unlikely friendship blossoms between Kunjo and Preeta, an educated... See full summary »

Director:

Terrie Samundra

Writer:

Terrie Samundra (original screenplay)

Stars:

Pooja Rani, Jyoti Sharma, Kunjo Devi

3 wins.

Cast

Cast overview:
Pooja Rani	...	Kunjo
Jyoti Sharma	...	Preeta
Kunjo Devi	...	Pinky
Prabhu Ram	...	Kunjo's Brother
Neelum Kumari	...	Preeta's Aunt
Gulshan Kumar	...	Tea Stall Owner
Om Prakash	...	Kunjo's Father
Nando Devi	...	Kunjo's Mother
Jyoti Anand	...	Mean Woman
Deviah Sharma	...	Angoori (Play)
Sajen Sharma	...	Rajasthani Man (Play)

Storyline

Kunjo, a 12-year-old Rajasthani refugee, spends her days begging in the streets of a rural village in North India. When an unlikely friendship blossoms between Kunjo and Preeta, an educated schoolgirl from a higher caste, Kunjo reveals her secret passion for storytelling. Betrayed by her new friend, and caught in the complexity of an unconventional friendship, Kunjo faces a crossroads between standing up for herself or submitting to her place of silence in society.

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Genres:

Short | Drama

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User Reviews

I just really liked it

I had the good fortune of watching this at the Indian Film Festival of LA last year. It ended up winning the audience award, and rightly so. Kunjo is one of those rare films that can absorb you into a world of relative material absence, have you feel empathetic for the characters in it without feeling terribly sorry for them. The cow scene is something I've never seen before on screen... or IRL for that matter! I was lucky to meet with the director and cinematographer afterwards - both swell folk. Filmmakers who deal with social issues and class differences in India tend to lean towards the dramatic. Or have an air of preachiness or guilt inducing designs since most film festival audiences are middle to upper class. Kunjo does neither but has the effect of both. It simply favors the story of a girl and a day in her life over these things.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

Rajasthani

Release Date:

15 March 2009 (France)

Filming Locations:

Sheikhupur, Punjab, India

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

All Roads Film Project, National Geographic, Brother Bear Sister Wolf, The Princess Grace Foundation

Technical Specs

Color:

Color