The Ireland India Institute together with the School of Communications, DCU is pleased to host the screening of Listen Amaya as part of the Fifth Indian Film Festival of Ireland 2014.  The film will be screened in tribute to the late Indian Actor Farooq Sheikh.

Listen Amaya is a poignant and nuanced Hindi drama about a girl trying to come to terms with her long-widowed mother’s new romance, starring Bollywood popular lead pair Deepti Naval and the late Farooq Sheikh.

Leela (Deepti Naval) is a charming widow who runs an offbeat library cafe in Delhi. One of her regular customers is Jayant (Farooq Sheikh), an affable retired photographer who also lost his wife. The friendship between Leela and Jayant soon develops into something more as they find love and companionship in each other. Leela’s daughter, Amaya (Swara Bhaskar), is a budding writer who gets along well with Jayant and they also decide to co-author a coffee table book about the bazaars of Old Delhi. However, when Amaya finds out about Leela’s relationship with Jayant she is unable to accept it, feeling that she is betraying her father’s memory and afraid of losing her mother to another man. In Listen… Amaya first-time director Avinash Kumar Singh explores the progression of a mother-daughter relationship with honesty and sensitivity.

The director’s ability to handle complex and delicate subjects such as family relationships and intimacy between older people is complemented by the protagonists’ flawless performances. Legendary Hindi film couple Deepti Naval and Farooq Sheikh still spark with chemistry and newcomer Sawara Bhaskar is remarkable in her interpretation of the fiery Amaya. Listen… Amaya is a subtle and sincere film about family dynamics, relationships and generational differences definitely worth watching for its compelling story and effective interpretation.  Watch it if you liked: The Descendants (2011), Enough Said (2013), August: Osage County (2013),