“What Remains Unsaid,” a project that enjoys the backing of Indian auteur Devashish Makhija (“Joram,” “Bhonsle”), has debuted at the WAVES Film Bazaar, the market component of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI).
Set in the rugged villages of rural Haryana, “What Remains Unsaid” is a psychological crime drama that follows Vidya, a celebrated and fiercely principled television journalist dispatched to her ancestral village to cover what appears to be an honour killing. As she investigates, the narrative begins to split open, exposing contradictions, hidden truths, and the blurred lines between victim and perpetrator.
“For me, the film interrogates what it means to seek truth in a post-truth world,” says writer-director Kallol Mukherjee. “It’s about gender, inherited trauma, and the seductive danger of simplified narratives. When the media becomes judge, jury and executioner, the question becomes: who owns the truth, and what happens when it’s crafted for virality rather than justice?”
Mukherjee’s personal connection to journalism anchors the film. In 2017, he was accepted into a top journalism school. Around the same time a journalist he knew was violently attacked for exposing corruption. The incident shook his faith in the profession. That emotional residue, and years of observing how misinformation spreads faster than accountability, eventually shaped the film’s protagonist and world. “At its core, this is the story of a woman who has reached the pinnacle of her profession but the lowest point in her personal life,” he says.
The film marries psychological realism with elements of magic realism, drawing from Mukherjee’s years in observational documentary filmmaking. He has previously directed short film “The Unowned House” and “Mic Drop” (IFFSA Toronto, Rome International Documentary Festival) and is completing a debut feature documentary titled “Herland”, produced by Forest Flower Films (“Secret of A Mountain Serpent,” Venice Film Festival 2025).
Producers Harsh Agarwal and Aditya Grover of Uncombed Buddha Films, known for “Nasir” (Netpac Award, Rotterdam), Locarno title “Rapture,” are on board, alongside filmmaker Makhija. The project has already secured 25% of its budget, and the team is actively pursuing co-production partnerships, equity investment, and grants in India and Europe.
The script is in advanced development with a March 2026 target for shooting. “The thin layer of fog, soft winter light, and muted blues of March will beautifully complement the film’s tone and emotional landscape,” says Mukherjee.
variety.com
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