Richie Mehta’s Phoolan received a standing ovation following its world premiere at the 51st Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). The Amazon Original Movie was screened at the Princess of Wales Theatre in the Special Presentation section before a packed audience of more than 2,000 people.
The Hindi action drama stars Sneha Kumari as Phoolan Devi, alongside Anurag Thakur, Vikram Pratap Singh, Aakash Dahiya, Prateek Pachouri and Dev Dutt Budholiya. The film draws from Phoolan Devi’s autobiography, I, Phoolan Devi: The Autobiography of India’s Bandit Queen.
The story focuses on a crucial 48-hour period in Phoolan Devi’s life, centred on a siege involving an armed group of around 2,000 men. Writer-director and producer Richie Mehta said the film aims to look beyond the mythology surrounding Phoolan Devi and explore the person behind the widely known legend.
The filmmaker said he wanted to approach her story with honesty while examining the formative years before she became widely known and the period when she was viewed as a misunderstood figure.
Producer Shareen Mantri Kedia praised Mehta’s approach and Sneha Kumari’s performance. The cast and creative team attended the Toronto premiere.
Produced by Shareen Mantri Kedia, Kishor Arora, Kanwal Kohli and Richie Mehta, Phoolan is a Namah Pictures production. The film will stream on Prime Video in India and internationally, with its release date yet to be announced.
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