Where the Jungle Holds Its Ground: ‘Vanya’ Unfolds a Love Beyond Words
‘Chowk University Ka Vice Chancellor’ Celebrates the Life and Legacy of Legendary Writer Amritlal Nagar
#IFFIWood, 25 November 2025
“Zindegi Laila Hai, Use Majnu Ki Tarah Pyaar Karo…”
The line hits the room like the opening dialogue of a classic Hindi drama—bold, poetic, and larger than life. A famous saying by one of the 20th century’s most celebrated Hindi writers, Padmabhushan Amritlal Nagar, a man who didn’t just live life—he performed it, cherished it, and turned it into a constant celebration.
And at IFFI-2025 today, that celebration unfolded with two vivid stories, when the teams of ‘Vanya’ and ‘Chowk University Ka Vice Chancellor – Padmabhushan Amritlal Nagar came together for a vibrant, soul-stirring press conference that felt like two different worlds meeting on the same cinematic stage.
On one side stood the emotionally charged, nature-soaked drama ‘Vanya’, with Director Badiger Devendra and actress Meghna Belawadi sharing their journey of capturing a man’s unbreakable bond with the forest. On the other, Directors Savita Sharma Nagar and Rajesh Amrohi breathed life into the legacy of Nagar Ji—a literary icon whose humour, humanism, and cultural depth shaped generations.
A Literary Legend Returns to Life on Screen
Directors Savita Sharma Nagar and Rajesh Amrohi spoke passionately about their documentary-style film on the revered writer Amritlal Nagar—an artist they described as “a celebration in himself.”
Savita Sharma Nagar shared, “The film celebrates the endless joys of life, the way Nagar Ji lived—in the most nuanced, enchanting manner. His humour, his simplicity, his depth… everything deserved to be cherished on screen.”
She revealed that the team spent five years researching and recreating moments from Nagar Ji’s life. With very few photographs available, they relied on memories, interviews, and literary archives and made seven drafts of the story. “We don’t celebrate our writers enough. This film is our tribute to a legend,” she asserted.
Co-Director Rajesh Amrohi added, “Amritlal Nagar didn’t write for entertainment alone. He documented cultural and social history of our country. He is one of the most multifaceted voices in modern Indian literature.”
Their film uses recreated events and extensive interviews with critics, writers, and Nagar’s own family to illuminate the life of a man whose literature still mirrors society with startling relevance.
VANYA: A Battle Between the Wild and the World—And the Love in Between
Sharing the stage, Director Badiger Devendra introduced his Kannada feature film Vanya—the story of an elderly man who refuses to abandon his forest hut even as the system attempts to force an evacuation. Devendra described the film as “a contrast between the noisy anxieties of city life and the silent, soulful truths of the wild.”
Actress Meghna Belawadi, who plays the old man’s daughter, reflected on the emotional complexity of her character. “She isn’t expressive. She’s irritated, conflicted, and pulled into an emotional trap to convince her father. But though he never says he loves her, he shows it—and that quiet tenderness deeply moved me,” she added.
Speaking about working with her young co-actor, she added:
“Behind the scenes, I ensured she felt safe—tickling her, playing with her hair—so the on-screen bond felt natural and effortless.”
The team described their challenging yet exhilarating shoot inside the forest, restricted to sunlight hours and surrounded by wildlife. “But the local community embraced us. Their trust, built through months of pre-production visits, became the backbone of the film,” Meghna shared.
Meghna concluded, “I don’t consider myself a big actor. I simply trusted in the Director’s vision—his clarity, his emotional map—and stepped into the world he created.”
Watch the full Press Conference here:
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