Patna, Aug. 26: Antardwand, a national award-winning movie based on groom abduction or pakraush shaadi, as it is known in Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh, is set to release on Friday.

The movie is based on real life story of a man who was abducted and forced to marry a girl who was not his choice.

Antardwand also happens to be the first movie of Sushil Rajpal, cameraman-turned-producer, director, who always wanted to make movies on social issues, highlighting people’s agony.

Rajpal has a strong connection with Bihar and has completed his studies from Vikash Vidyalaya in Ranchi. Talking to The Telegraph over the phone from Mumbai, Rajpal said: “The movie is based on real life story of one of my close friends who was abducted at Barhariya in Begusarai district of Bihar and was later forced to marry a girl against his wishes.”

Refusing to disclose the name of his friend, Rajpal said that the man has left the woman he was married to and now lives alone. It was his choice, but he is fighting a big antardwand (inner conflict) over his decision to leave the bride who wasn’t his choice.

Most parts of the movie have been shot in Bihar. The film has no big stars as Rajpal wanted actors who looked real and could deliver dialogues with rural appeal.

Rajpal, an alumnus of Film and Television Institute of India, Pune, studied at Vikash Vidyalaya in Ranchi till class X. Later, he he went to Delhi University to do his Masters in Arts.

According to Rajpal, “Groom kidnapping is still prevalent in North Bihar, particularly among upper castes who demand unimaginable money as dowry for their well-qualified sons. Families who can’t afford the dowry, kidnap the boys and force them to marry their daughters.”

The movie highlights the result of such forced marriage and the emotional damage that both the girl and the boy suffer.

Antardwand, made on a moderate budget of Rs 1.5 crore, has Raj Singh Chowdhary and Swati Sen as the lead pair, followed by Vinay Pathak and Akhilendra Mishra. The film bagged the 55th National Award for best film on social cause. On being asked about his expectations from the film, Rajpal says that it is premature to say anything about the box office response as it is only the audience that will decide the fate of movie.