Mumbai: National Award-winning filmmaker Vinod Kapri’s Pyre will finally release in cinemas across India on October 23. Distributed by Cinepolis, the film brings an intimate story from the Kumaon Himalayas to Indian audiences after making an extensive journey through the international film festival circuit.
Set in a remote village in Uttarakhand, Pyre follows an elderly couple whose lives have been shaped by decades of togetherness, memories and the gradual migration of their children. The film explores the impact of migration on families while placing the relationship between the ageing couple at its emotional centre.
Before its Indian theatrical release, Pyre has travelled to several international festivals and, according to its makers, has collected 18 international awards, including 15 Best Film honours.
Pyre centres on an elderly Kumaon couple
One of the most distinctive aspects of Pyre is its central cast. Padam Singh Kapri, 80, and Heera Devi, 70, had never appeared in front of a camera before being cast in the film.
Kapri plays Padam Singh, while Heera Devi portrays Tulsi. Their performances draw on experiences from their own lives, giving the film the natural quality its director was looking for.
Padam Singh is a retired Army man, while Heera Devi is a homemaker, widow and former dancer. Neither had previously acted on screen.
For Vinod Kapri, casting people who had lived through much of the life depicted in the film was central to the project. Instead of relying on conventional actors to recreate the rhythms of an ageing couple, the filmmaker wanted the relationship to feel lived-in.
“Pyre is ultimately a film about love, between two people who have spent their lives together, and between parents and their children,” Kapri said in a statement.
He also spoke about the process of finding his lead actors and the authenticity they brought to the film.
“I wanted to tell this story through two people who had lived that life themselves. Finding Padam Singh ji and Heera Devi ji was extraordinary. Their relationship, silences and emotions brought a truth to the screen that conventional actors could never have recreated,” he added.
A story about migration and family separation
Pyre is set against the backdrop of the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand, where migration has transformed the lives of many families.
The film follows an elderly couple whose children have moved away in search of better opportunities. As their children establish lives elsewhere, the parents remain behind, with their world increasingly centred around their home, memories and relationship.
Migration is therefore not treated simply as a social issue in the film. It becomes part of the couple’s everyday reality and influences the way they experience ageing and family.
At the same time, Pyre focuses on the emotional bond between two people who have spent a lifetime together. The Himalayas and the remote village setting provide the backdrop, but the relationship between the two central characters remains the core of the story.
By casting Padam Singh and Heera Devi, Kapri has also attempted to create a sense of continuity between the characters’ lives and the environment in which they are shown.
Pyre’s journey through international festivals
The Indian release comes after an extensive international festival journey for the film.
Pyre premiered at the 28th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, where it won the POFF Best Film Audience Award. It subsequently travelled to festivals including the São Paulo International Film Festival, Cambridge Film Festival, Bath Film Festival, Fajr International Film Festival and the International Film Festival of Kerala.
According to the filmmakers, the film has received 18 international awards during its festival run. Fifteen of those awards are said to be Best Film honours.
Kapri has also received Best Director awards in Serbia and Boston. The film has additionally been recognised for elements including its music, cinematography and sound.
The festival recognition has helped Pyre build an international profile before its release in India. The October theatrical release will now give domestic audiences an opportunity to watch the film on the big screen after its run at festivals around the world.
Mychael Danna and Gulzar join the creative team
Pyre also features an accomplished team behind the camera.
The film’s music has been composed by Mychael Danna, the Canadian composer known for his work on films including Life of Pi, Monsoon Wedding, Little Miss Sunshine and Moneyball.
Danna’s involvement adds an international dimension to the film’s technical and creative team, complementing the story’s distinctly Indian setting and subject.
Veteran lyricist and writer Gulzar has written the lyrics for the film, bringing another prominent creative name to the project.
The combination of the Kumaon setting, non-professional lead performers and an experienced international and Indian creative team forms a significant part of Pyre’s identity.
Pyre finally heads to Indian theatres
For Vinod Kapri, the October 23 release marks an important stage in the film’s journey. Pyre has already been screened for audiences at festivals in India and overseas, where it has received recognition and awards.
Its theatrical release will now bring the story to a wider Indian audience.
The film’s themes of ageing, migration, family separation and companionship are rooted in a specific Kumaon setting, but the questions around children leaving their hometowns and elderly parents adapting to life without them extend beyond one community.
At its heart, Pyre remains a story about a long-married couple and the relationship they maintain as their circumstances change.
The decision to cast Padam Singh Kapri and Heera Devi in roles close to their own life experiences is also central to the film’s approach. Their presence gives the story a personal dimension while allowing the film to explore larger questions about family and migration.