Sister Midnight starring Radhika Apte to hit Indian theatres on 23rd May

PVR INOX Pictures and PictureWorks India are excited to bring Sister Midnight to theatres across India, releasing on 23rd May. This special film, directed by Karan Kandhari, has been getting international praise and awards. It was nominated for Outstanding British Debut at the BAFTA Awards and was one of the highlights at the Cannes Film Festival, where it competed for the Golden Camera and was screened in the Director’s Fortnight section. It also received four BIFA nominations and won Best Picture in the Next Wave category at Austin’s Fantastic Fest in the USA.

Sister Midnight features a talented cast, including Radhika Apte, Ashok Pathak, Chhaya Kadam, Smita Tambe, and Navya Sawant. The film is written and directed by Karan Kandhari, produced by Alastair Clark, Anna Griffin, and Alan McAlex. It is beautifully shot by cinematographer Sverre Sørdal and edited by Napoleon Stratogiannakis.

The story follows Uma, a newly married woman trying to settle into life with her husband, Gopal, in a tiny room in Mumbai. Life is tough—Gopal often leaves her alone without money, and Uma struggles to adjust. With help from her neighbour Sheetal, she learns to cook. But everything changes when Uma attends a family wedding and is bitten by a mosquito. After that, she begins to feel weak and sick—and develops a strange thirst for animal blood. As others begin to fear her, Uma must decide whether to accept this strange transformation or let it destroy her.

Director Karan Kandhari shares that the idea came from a simple thought: “What happens the first morning in an arranged marriage when the husband goes to work and the wife is left alone with no idea what to do?” He explains that there is no guidebook for life, and that’s what the film is really about. Even though the subject sounds dark, Kandhari brings in a sense of humour. “If it’s not funny, I won’t write it,” he says. He also mentions that silent film legend Buster Keaton influenced his style, especially in using body language and facial expressions for humour.