Lessons in Forgetting is a 2012 Indian film produced by Prince Thampi for Arowana Studios. It is based on the novel of the same name by Anita Nair and directed by Unni Vijayan. It stars Adil Hussain, Roshni Achreja, Maya Tideman and Raaghav Chanana. The film is shot in 35mm Cinemascope.

It was awarded the 2012 National Film Award for Best Feature Film in English.

Lessons in Forgetting

Plot

A renowned expert on cyclones J.A. Krishnamoorthy comes to India, when he learns that his daughter, Smriti, has met with a fatal freak accident. Determined to find out the truth behind his daughter’s accident, JAK starts to retrace his daughter’s path on the days that led to her accident in a small town in Tamil Nadu.

Lessons in Forgetting

With a strong desire to know the truth, JAK embarks on his own investigation. He meets with the people who were close to Smriti. They give different versions of what they felt about her. JAK feels he is getting closer to the truth. But his hopes are shattered when he reaches a dead end.

Lessons in Forgetting

Meera, a socialite, finds her life in chaos when her husband walks out on her leaving her with her two children, mother and her grandmother. Left to fend for herself, Meera takes up a job as an assistant to JAK. Inadvertently she leads him to a very important piece of the puzzle of the case.

Various events and coincidences, help him in getting closer to the truth. They find themselves back in Minjikapuram, the coastal town where it all began. Here JAK realises that, there was a bigger issue that Smriti was fighting against.

JAK must show the courage to confront the reality and forget the past.

Cast

Adil Hussain as JAK

Roshni Achreja as Meera

Maya Tideman as Smriti

Raaghav Chanana as Soman

Karan Nair as Mathew

Amey Wagh as Shivu

Bhanu Prakash as Dr.Srinivasan

Srilekha as Chinnataayi

Anuja Vaidya as Nayantara

Veena Sajnani as Meera's Mother

Lakshmi Krishnamurthy as Meera's Grandmother

Parthiv Shah as Nikhil

Sukitha Aiyar as Vinnie

Uttara Baokar as Kalachitti. Sanjeev Murali as Theatre group leader.

Production

Produced by Prince Thampi for Arowana Studios, the movie is based on the bestselling novel by the same title, written by Anita Nair. Prince Thampi is best known as the publisher of the Malayalam magazine Santham. Lessons in Forgetting is the first film to be produced by Arowana Studios. Some of the staff members of Arowana Studios and the Parent Company Arowana Consulting Limited also participated as extras in a few scenes.

Filming locations

Shot entirely in India across

-Bangalore (Karnataka, India). -Pondicherry (Tamil Nadu, India). -Mahabalipuram (Tamil Nadu, India). -Coonoor/ Mettupalayam (Tamil Nadu, India).

Crew

Awards

Unni Vijayan, Director - Outstanding Achievement In International Feature Filmmaking - Williamsburg International Film Festival, New York (2012) Adil Hussain : Best Actor - New Jersey Independent South Asian Cine Fest, New Jersey.(2012) Roshni Achreja : Best Supporting Actress - New Jersey Independent South Asian Cine Fest, New Jersey.(2012) Roshan N. G., Best Makeup Artist - Sunset International Film Festival, Los Angeles. (2012) 60th National Film Award for Best Feature Film in English

Screenings

Rome International Film Festival 2012 (RIFF) Chicago South Asian Film Festival 2012 (CSAFF) Williamsburg International Film Festival, New York New Jersey Independent South Asian Cine Fest, New Jersey (2012) Sunset International Film Festival, Los Angeles (2012)

References

https://web.archive.org/web/20110811045719/http://www.businessworld.in/bw/2010_02_09_Women_And_Womanhood.html

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/article/06lpfK8gUq4m7?q=Adil+Hussain

https://web.archive.org/web/20110320045821/http://www.newkerala.com/news/world/fullnews-170168.html

External links

2012 films

English-language Indian films

Films based on Indian novels

Films set in Tamil Nadu

Films shot in Ooty

Films shot in Bangalore

Films shot in Puducherry

Films shot in Tamil Nadu

Best English Feature Film National Film Award winners

2010s English-language films