Jayant Somalkar’s debut film Sthal, shot in 22 days in his home village with local non-professional actors, authentically captures the struggles of a young woman from rural Maharashtra fighting for education and independence in a patriarchal society.
By the time people finish watching filmmaker Jayant Digambar Somalkar’s debut feature Sthal, they might feel inspired to take a risk. Not for the thrill or to the point of recklessness, but because they could be persuaded that taking a chance — more than most people are comfortable with — is sometimes worth it.
Sthal offers a window into the lives of those who inhabit places often overlooked by mainstream cinema. At its core, the movie chronicles the life of Savita, a young woman determined to pursue an education and build a brighter future in a society where arranged marriages often represent the only path forward. The film delicately explores the struggles and triumphs of youth as they challenge the boundaries of a deeply patriarchal society.
This Marathi-language film, much like its characters, embraces authenticity over perfection and understated brilliance over cinematic spectacle, and in doing so, captures the essence of rural India with a quiet yet profound depth. Produced on a modest budget and shot in just 22 days, it offers less flash but more substance.
Sthal premiered at the 48th Toronto International Film Festival in September 2023 and took the prestigious NETPAC (Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema) award. The film’s journey from the village of Dongargaon in Maharashtra’s Chandrapur district to international recognition mirrors the compelling narrative it presents.
Somalkar, who gained attention for his work on the critically-acclaimed series Guilty Minds, brings a deeply personal perspective to Sthal. Born into a farming family in Dongargaon — the very village where the film is set — his connection to rural life runs deep.
“I was born in the same house that is Savita’s home in the film,” he said. “I come from a farming community, and my family still farms. I spent my childhood in the village and went to school in a nearby small town. So, I’ve always been connected to the people, the language, and the culture of the village. Though I live in Mumbai now, I visit my village a few times every year. I know this world so well that it helps me portray it realistically.”
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Somalkar’s journey from a village boy to a filmmaker is as fascinating as it is inspiring. Like many middle-class students who excel academically, he initially pursued engineering. However, his true passion lay in the arts.
After much contemplation and numerous disagreements with his family, he made the bold decision to move to Mumbai to chase his cinematic dreams.
“I did writing for television, and took on various small jobs in the creative space. My exposure to world cinema came through the numerous film festivals in Mumbai. The journey was long and difficult, but it’s a game of patience, along with talent and a bit of luck,” he said.
Sthal addresses issues that resonate deeply within rural India — patriarchy, colour and the rigid societal constraints that shape the lives of many young women. These themes are not mere abstractions for Somalkar. They reflect the lived reality of his community.
“The film needed to capture the true essence of the village, and for that, I had to cast people who belonged to that world,” he said.
The movie’s authenticity stems not only from its setting but also from its casting. Somalkar opted to work with non-professional actors, all from the village, to capture the genuine essence of rural life.
“When I wrote the film, it was very observational. I had my own village in mind, my own people,” he said. “In the Marathi film industry, there is still no star culture as such, so the need to have a well-known face isn’t there. I took auditions at a local college and found my protagonist, Nandini, who plays Savita. The father, mother, and other actors are from the same village. The audition process was very interesting. The father was cast at the very end. We spotted him during a location recce, and his look was perfect.”
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This unconventional casting process led to surprising discoveries. The woman who plays Savita’s mother in Sthal, for instance, runs an atta chakki (flour mill) and was found almost by chance.
“It was important to get the look right first, and then 50 percent of the battle was done,” Somalkar said. “We didn’t train them much, just a weeklong workshop to make them comfortable in front of the camera. We wanted them to look as they are, to make it real and authentic.”
Somalkar’s decision to shoot Sthal in his village was both a creative choice and a budgetary necessity.
“We used a community wedding for the film because we were thinking, ‘How do we do this?’ and we found a real one. There were instances like these where we had to make compromises. We had to use minimum resources to the best of our ability,” he recalled.
The film’s subtle yet powerful portrayal of a young woman’s struggle has resonated with audiences and critics alike. It was the sole Indian entry in the Discovery Programme at the Toronto International Film Festival. The film has also won the German Star of India film prize in the feature film category at the Indian Film Festival Stuttgart.
In July, Sthal earned the Audience Choice Award for Best Feature Film, along with Best Debut Director at the Indi German Film Week. It also received acclaim at the NAFA Film Festival in California.
The villagers who brought the story to life have largely returned to their everyday lives, unaffected by the film’s international success.
“Not all of them want to be actors,” Somalkar said. “But my protagonist wants to try out acting. She has been giving auditions. For the rest of them, life just seems unaffected.”
Somalkar is now focused on the Sthal’s theatre release. “It may come out in October this year. It is not available on any OTT,” he said.
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The lead image on top shows a still from Jayant Somalkar’s Sthal, a film set in Dongargaon village in Maharashtra’s Chandrapur district.
Unnati Sharma is a journalist, writer, and translator. She has worked with ThePrint as a Senior Correspondent specialising in politics, in-depth features, and art and culture stories.
