Earlier this week, the UK Asian Film Festival brought down the curtain on their 25th edition. Sanaa, the festival’s opening film that was screened at BFI Southbank in London, bagged two awards. While Radhika Madan was adjudged the Best Actor, Sudhanshu Saria walked away with the Best Director award. Saria believes the Madan, Pooja Bhatt, and Sohum Shah-starrer is an important story that should reach a wide audience. In telling the story of a 28-year-old ambitious woman working in Mumbai, the movie addresses the subject of mental health and the lasting impact of unresolved trauma. “Sanaa is truly a personal journey for me. To see it connect so deeply with the audience has been rewarding,” says the filmmaker, whose short film Knock Knock Knock won the National Award in 2021.

Sudhanshu Saria