Siddharth Lal, a 25-year-old filmmaker from Bhopal now based in Los Angeles, is making waves internationally with his debut film ‘Patakha’. The poignant short film follows a young girl trapped in a firecracker factory in rural India who must escape to continue her education.
The film premiered at the historic TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles in June and had its World Premiere at Italy’s prestigious Giffoni Film Festival.
Siddharth’s journey began just days after completing his engineering degree from VIT Vellore in 2022, when he moved to Los Angeles to pursue filmmaking. His passion started during COVID with YouTube videos that, as he laughingly recalls, “went viral in the family WhatsApp group.”
This humble beginning led to a remarkable achievement – becoming one of the first filmmakers from Bhopal accepted into the American Film Institute Conservatory, the world’s premier film school that has produced luminaries like David Lynch and Darren Aronofsky.
‘Patakha’ authentically portrays rural India’s challenges, tackling child labour and education access. The film’s international success reflects growing global appetite for genuine Indian stories beyond mainstream Bollywood.
Currently working on a documentary about a Native American tribe in South Dakota, Lal remains committed to his vision: “I want to continue making films that highlight common people and their lives.”
As ‘Patakha’ continues its festival journey, Lal represents a new generation of Indian storytellers who are redefining how the world sees contemporary India – one frame at a time.
