Kolkata-born filmmaker Indira Dhar wants the world to see her latest film Echoes of Valour — launched at the ongoing Cannes Film Festival on May 18 — as an ode to motherhood, even though the story revolves around elements of soldiers and wars.
“Mothers — they’re the same all over the world. That’s what people will take away. That’s what I want them to take away,” Dhar, back in Cannes a year after the screening of her Oscar-acclaimed film Putul, told My Kolkata in a candid chat.
Echoes of Valour is a biopic on the mother of an Indian army soldier. “This took me four years to even go on the floors. Because it is the biopic of an Indian army mother. Mothers are emotional, hard to tell a story of their own. Such an impeccable story — and to make it with honesty and grit — you know how biopics are,” she said.
‘Echoes of Valour’ was launched by Shekhar Kapur, filmmaker; Gautam Bhanot, general manager, NFDC, and Ajay Nagabhushan, joint secretary of the Ministry of I&B
This film, launched under the Indian Pavilion at Cannes, is deeply personal, deeply political, and deeply human, according to Dhar.
“Echoes of Valour is bigger than any country, It’s a mother-to-mother story. Mothers are everywhere. And once people watch our film, they will understand,” she said.
What drew her to the story? “The original Shukla Bandopadhyay, her story needed to be told — it has so much light and so much loss. And when you see the audio-visual of her on screen, you will know why I had to make this.”
Last year, Dhar’s Putul was screened at the Balaji theatre under Festival de Cannes, part of the Marché du Film, though often confused with a “booth screening”, a point she makes with amused exasperation.
“People confused Putul with booth screening, theatre screening, competition, out-of-competition — it was not a booth screening. Booth screenings are smaller, inside the Marché. Putul was screened in a theatre called Balaji. That’s big for a Bengali filmmaker,” she said.
This year, though, the confidence shows. “Firsts are always difficult, exciting. This time I’m more composed. I know more. I have friends from different countries, people who know me after the Oscars — it feels nice.”
‘Echoes of Valour’, launched under the Indian Pavilion at Cannes, is deeply personal, deeply political, and deeply human, according to Dhar
If Putul was Dhar’s breakthrough, Echoes of Valour is a statement. And much of the film’s soul, she said, comes from its leads — Divya Dutta and Neeraj Kabi. “Divya Dutta and Neeraj Kabi are the heart and soul of this film. They met Shukla Bandopadhyay in person. Divya had to play a Bengali mother — she worked so hard. There are mental health issues, grief, and resilience. And Neeraj — I had no one else in mind. The moment he heard the script, he said, ‘Indira, let’s do it.’ No second thoughts.”
The chemistry between the cast and the director wasn’t just professional — It soon turned into something familial. “They’re family now. Some actors act and leave. These two constantly check on me. ‘What’s happening with the film?’ ‘Where’s it being launched?’ ‘What next?’ We worked as a team, watched the scratch edits together. It’s a beautiful team.”
And Cannes? “Cannes is bigger than the red carpet,” Dhar said. “It’s not Met Gala. It’s a festival of films. Yesterday, I walked the Grand Lumière red carpet for Eddington. I wore a Bengali tussar sari — I’m very proud of that. Last year, I couldn’t walk the main red carpet. This year I did. That’s the difference.”
Shekhar Kapur and Indira Dhar
But for Dhar, the accolades and appearances are only a part of the journey. Her focus is razor-sharp — on storytelling, on honesty, on making Indian stories heard beyond Indian borders.
“I consider myself a storyteller. Not a director, not a scriptwriter — those are designations. I am an honest storyteller. With Putul, we were selected to compete in Best Picture at the Oscars. Not an easy bet. Everybody has money. But not everyone works hard,” she said.
Dhar is proud of her roots. “I’m from Kolkata. I don’t have anyone from the industry — I didn’t know a soul when I started. And we already have a handful of women filmmakers. It’s a man’s world. Still is. So many people say so many things. But if you’re an artiste, you need to have a big heart. You need to foresee. And work hard.”
As Echoes of Valour is made available to international audiences, Dhar hopes its universal message lands with resonance.
