Radhika Chaudhuri's first short film gathers accolades world-over

Way back in the 90s, when actor Radhika Chaudhuri was still a popular face on the Tamil and Telugu film screens, the buzz behind the camera caught her attention. A decade later, her curiosity gave way to her first short film — Orange Blossom — and so followed the accolades in the form of the prestigious Silver Ace Award for Best Short Film at the Las Vegas Film Festival.

“It feels wonderful to have been able to make a film that’s got recognised too,” says the Los Angeles-based Radhika. Ask her why she chose a short film to start with and the film-maker says, “It’s the best format to tell a story.”

The film is 17-minute long and is the story of a single mother going through the pangs of separation from her husband; while making the folly of passing on too much information about herself and her family to a few strangers.

“I got inspired by an incident that happened to an aunt of mine. There’s a cautionary feel to the story, when certain situations make one vulnerable,” Radhika informs, adding, “Most of the action happens in the orange grove, hence the title.”

Shot over four days and a tight budget, the going’s not been easy for Radhika. “At times, we would shoot for over 16 hours and this did take a toll on me — I almost got hit by a car,” she recollects, adding, “But my husband has stood with me through all this to the extent of funding this project.”

While an American-Indian, Usha Kokotay plays the protagonist, Jeff Doucette (of Bedazzled and Desperate Housewives fame) and John Paul Ouvrier also star in the film. “Usha fit the part perfectly and was finalised after a few auditions. I needed a creepy, old man whereas Jeff has always played funny roles. I wasn’t sure of his inclination, but he agreed to play the role,” Radhika states.

While Orange Blossom is readying to make the rounds at international film festivals, Radhika wants it to get screened in India too. “After all, I’m an Indian — any recognition in my country would mean a lot to me,” she reveals, as she prepares for her next short film and a feature film too — both to be shot in USA.