Teenager Janaki finds herself torn between the love for her mother and her
overwhelming fear of loss, as she navigates a world shaped by her mother’s struggles. Amidst the limitations of youth in a society governed by adults, Janaki confronts the harsh realities of gender discrimination, superstitions, and taboos surrounding menstruation and afterlife in contemporary India. Through the lens of a profound mother-daughter bond, the film explores the resilience needed to honour a deeply personal promise, shedding light on the emotional complexities of growing up in this coming of age tale.

Indu Lakshmi is a writer and filmmaker from India, now settled in Germany. Her debut feature film NILA was produced by the government of Kerala after she won a state level competition for the script. NILA was released theatrically in August 2023 in the state of Kerala. She is also the writer of the 2022-23 made malayalam feature film ‘Daayam’ (Inheritance) which had official selection in national and international film festivals including MAMI festival and