Renowned actors Renuka Shahane and Rajesh Tailang join forces in the highly anticipated short film “Ek Kadam,” directed by Rajeev Upadhyay. This poignant film explores the transformative journey of a housewife rediscovering her identity and independence.
Director Rajeev Upadhyay shared his experience of casting the lead roles: “As I wrote the script of Ek Kadam, I envisioned Renuka Shahane Ma’am as Anuradha. I texted her, shared the script, and she loved it, coming on board immediately. Rajesh sir also loved the script and joined soon after. I was ecstatic to have my first choices for the lead roles sooner than I imagined. Renuka mam and Rajesh sir turned into the characters of my film, bringing my vision to life. I am especially grateful to my producer, Amrita Dodani, for her unwavering support. Our film’s selection in various prestigious festivals and the awards we won were the icing on the cake.”
Producer Amrita Dodani remarked, “Women are often oppressed in this male-dominated society. As a woman, I relate to this deeply. ‘Ek Kadam’ is our effort to encourage women to break out of patriarchy, no matter their age or circumstances.”
Ek Kadam has garnered acclaim at various film festivals, winning numerous awards- Official Selection at Chitra Bharti Film Festival 2020 where it won Best Film and Best Actor Female awards, 2nd Shaheed Mela Film Festival, Screened at Mumbai’s prestigious Kala Ghoda Festival 2020 and Mumbai Rang Mahotsav, Official Selection at the 3rd South Asian Short Film Festival and the South Asian Film Festival of America 2020, Official Selection at Banaras Film Festival and the 8th Delhi International Film Festival 2020, Official Selection at Mumba International Short Film Festival 2023.
