The short film Madhyantara, directed by Dinesh Shenoy, has captured the hearts of audiences and critics alike, earning accolades from many actors in the industry. Clocking in at just thirty-four minutes, this short story made an impact, recently securing two prestigious awards in the non-feature film category at the 70th National Film Awards. Both Dinesh and editor Suresh Aras were celebrated for their outstanding contributions.
A recent screening of the film happened in the presence of senior actor and producer Dr Jayamala, alongside KV Prabhakar, media advisor to the Chief Minister, who graced the event as chief guest. Dinesh, talking on his long journey, stated, “I have had a connection with the film industry for over twenty-seven years. However, this story was born during the COVID-19 period.
Before making it into a feature film, I believed it was essential to first create this short film. If it connects with the audience, we can then move on to a full-length project. The goal was to attract producers.
” Following the film’s screening, Dinesh Shenoy added that Dayal Padmanabhan suggested submitting it to Panorama. Encouraged by friends who advised that it could be sent for the National Awards if censored by December, the team took action. Madhyantara has now claimed two awards in the non-feature section.
Set against the backdrop of 1976 to 1985, the film was shot on film for just eleven days. Dinesh revealed, “Producer Manik Chand’s words during an interview insp.