Episode Number: 287

The Brutal Reality of Independent Filmmaking | Snigdha P Roy | Ep 287 | The Mohua Show

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About This Podcast

What happens to emotional short film storytelling when the world is addicted to scrolling? This episode is a masterclass in filmmaking for beginners and seasoned creators alike.

In this episode of The Mohua Show, host Mohua Chinappa sits down with Filmmaker Snigdha Roy to talk abouther debut feature film “Akuti” at the New York Indian Film Festival 2026, Snigdha opens up about the emotional honesty required in filmmaking, the struggles of independent cinema, women directors in the industry, storytelling in the age of AI, and why silence and stillness remain powerful cinematic tools.

We also explore the representation of Northeast India in mainstream cinema, the emotional world of children, grief, longing, and the importance of preserving human stories in an increasingly digital world.

Episode Timeline

0:00

: Precap

1:20

: Introduction & Welcome Snigdha P Roy

2:32

: The uncomfortable truth filmmaking forced her to confront

3:20

: Can slow cinema survive the scrolling generation?

4:37

: Are algorithms killing emotional storytelling?

5:44

: AI vs Human Storytelling: What makes filmmakers irreplaceable?

7:14

: The hidden struggles of independent filmmakers

10:25

: Northeast India and representation in mainstream cinema

12:34

: Do women directors have to prove themselves more?

14:07

: Finding a cinematic voice through silence and emotion

15:26

: The story behind Aakuti

16:10

: Why stillness and observation matter in cinema

17:28

: Children's emotional worlds: grief, silence and understanding

18:58

: Working with Kavisha Mahanta in Aakuti

20:48

: The failure that shaped Snigdha P Roy

21:31

: If her life were a film, which scene would never be cut?

21:55

: Outro

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