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The Indian Eye
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28 SEPTEMBER 25, 2026

An Interview with THEJA RIO, Director

of Angh, Platform Prize Winning Film

BY RENU MEHTA who plays the role of missionary
in the film, talks about his role and
Toronto
says “With regards to the character,
heja Rio’s Angh won the Plat- I think mostly when people are do-
form prize at the recent Toron- ing terrible things, the reason that
Tto International Film Festival they are terrible is because they think
(TIFF) that took place from Septem- they are good. The character doesn’t
ber 10-20, 2026. think that he’s doing something bad-
“The Platform Prize goes to ly; he thinks he’s helping. People do
Angh for its refreshing perspective, the worst things with a smile. It’s the
strength of filmmaking, and deep- arrogance of ignorance that’s the
ly resonant portrait of a world. We worst thing in the world.” What do
praise the filmmaker’s vision, audac- you have to say about this?
ity and courage,” stated the Platform Christianity has brought so much
Jury at TIFF. peace to the region and has given
Speaking about the historic win, hope and faith to so many people. At
Rio said: “It is a very special moment the same time, we are also trying to
for me and for everyone associated balance on the other side as to what
with the film. I am aware that it is has been diminished with the arriv-
rare for a debut film to receive this al of that. I was quite aware and I
kind of recognition, and all I can say didn’t necessarily make a conscious
is that we made Angh with a lot of decision to be at the point of neutral-
love for the place I come from, for ity. You are trying to balance it with
my people and for our culture. At the what you are raised with and at the
heart of the film is the relationship same time with your consciousness.
between a father and son, but it is I guess that everything that happens
also about letting go, our relationship around him goes into a generational
with home and the transient nature gap where the father has a very con-
of life. These are some of the most servative thought process and is un-
universal emotions, and they belong willing to change and the boy being a
to all of us. To see Angh connect with boy to begin with and also having the
audiences beyond our own commu- scenario and the situation of a much
nity has been deeply moving. I feel Director Theja Rio – picture courtesy TIFF more fruitful, much more enjoyable
humbled and deeply grateful. I want life presented to him. That comes
to thank the jury for recognising our play for his short film in 2018. thing, I try to write things that I am very naturally and balances when he
work and for giving us the opportuni- How was the film conceptualized? conflicted about rather than things make his decisions.
ty to represent our country and our It all began when I began to I am sure about. I think the depth Any other thoughts?
culture on two of the world’s most write a screenplay in 2018 for a short comes from that. A lot of times we look back at
prestigious stages - TIFF’s Platform film and almost immediately real- The heart of the film is the shifting history as may be just statistics and
Competition and, soon, the Acade- ized that this was something that had relationship between Anghba and his numbers. My idea was that you have
my Awards as well.” feature material. The short film was son. Why did you take that approach? been through journey with this man
Angh follows Anghba, the last too short to capture all the culture There is something that is very and seeing things from his perspec-
chief left behind with his sick wife specificities and all the layers that we tragic, very melancholic about gen- tive and then sort of looking back as
and silent son. He refuses to aban- needed to explore, so from the be- erational gaps that I often observe. a part of history. Of course there is
don the life his people once lived in ginning I knew that there was a much Our people in Nagaland have gone so much to learn from all those ex-
an empty Nagaland village. The film larger story that was there to be told. through very swift transition. The cavations and remains that we find,
is set in the 60s near the Indo Bur- How did you maintain a impartial most authentic way, I felt, was to but it’s very melancholic and tragic
ma border. Everything shifts when perspective in writing your script? explore that through the lens of a fa- at the same time.
an American missionary arrives. As When I was writing the script, I ther and son. The transition has hap- There is also a tendency to com-
the mission grows, Anghba becomes tried to maintain a very neutral per- pened so fast that we are dealing with pletely dehumanise those people
more alone, trying to protect a way of spective on the whole thing because not only with how swift it was but and look at it from an academic per-
life that’s slowly disappearing. these conversations are very complex also dealing with the hangovers of spective. When I wrote it down, it
At the festival on September 15, and nuanced and there are so many that and the father and son dynamic was almost a bit of a self-reflection
2026, Rio stated that the feature was pros and cons that you have to weigh. emerged most organically. in that sense as to how it’s breaking
born when he was writing the screen- Normally, when I write about some- Douglas Henshall, the actor, the third wall.

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