‘Koli Taal’ director’s second feature to release on May 9

The political satire ‘Naale Rajaa Koli Majaa’ follows an 11-year-old girl who craves for chicken curry on Gandhi Jayanthi

In most Indian homes, Sunday means a good non vegetarian meal with the family. Naale Rajaa Koli Majaa translates to ‘tomorrow is a holiday, we can enjoy chicken curry’.

Directed by Abhilash Shetty of Koli Taal fame, it follows an eleven-year-old girl Sneha, who wants to eat chicken curry on a Gandhi Jayanthi which falls on a Sunday. Slaughter and sale of meat is banned on Gandhi Jayanthi. The film is Abhilash’s second feature.

Sneha embarks on a journey, in pursuit of the chicken curry. Her journey leads to “unexpected twists that challenge traditions and societal norms”.

“Naale Rajaa Koli Majaa reveals the hypocrisy and double standards of society,” Abhilash tells DH.

“It is a political satire. The film has many layers unlike Koli Taal which was a straightforward story about a grandson and a grandfather,” he says.

It is set in coastal Karnataka and falls in the same universe as Koli Taal but it’s not a continuation of the film, he says.

Abhilash’s Koli Taal didn’t have any music but he says Naale Raja Koli Majaa has an indo-western fusion music. The film’s music is composed by US-based Vithor Moraes.

The film will be screened at the New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFA) scheduled to be held in New York later this month. It was also screened in festivals in Canada, Indonesia and Chicago.

Abhilash is a self taught filmmaker. He started making short films in 2017. “I learned filmmaking by watching movies and picked the technical aspects of filmmaking by making short films,” Abhilash says.

He made Koli Taal in 2020.

Abhilash who is from Shivamogga says his films are usually set in the Western Ghats. Even the film’s post-production takes place in the region. “All we need is a good laptop, you can edit your film from anywhere,” he says.

Talking about whether the industry is getting decentralised, Abhilash says “Udupi and Shivamogga have dubbing studios now and equipment is easily accessible. Since a lot of films are coming from the region, facilities are becoming more available. We don’t have to necessarily depend on big cities for everything anymore.”

Abhilash’s Naale Rajaa Koli Majaa releases in theatres on May 9.