A Dalit-queer violinist competes for a prestigious spot at a top conservatory but finds himself torn between ambition, love and dignity when he falls for his fiercest competitor.
Ashutosh S. Shankar
Ashutosh S. Shankar is a queer, Dalit filmmaker from Pune, Maharashtra. His short film, Tara, received the 2023 Kashish Q-Drishti Runners-Up Grant. He has been part of QueerFrames Screenwriting Lab 2023 and the Soho House – OWN Academy Mentorship Program 2024.
Synopsis
Sameer, a young violinist is selected in a prestigious music conservatory in the city of hope and dreams, Mumbai. At the institution, his instructor, Srinivas announces that one of his students will perform at a prestigious orchestral concert by the end of the semester. Sameer gets closer to Rishabh, a child-prodigy and son of a renowned violinist, who is effortlessly good at playing the violin. The two of them develop feelings towards each other, but soon turn into rivals when Srinivas pits them against each other for the solo – revealing caste based prejudice and discrimination against Sameer at the hands of Rishabh and Srinivas. What follows is a musical drama unfolding the layers of angst, deceit and love.
Contact
ashutoshiswriting@gmail.com