Rotterdam Prizewinner Arun Karthick’s Film Bazaar Project ‘Aanaikatti Blues’ Explores Rural Love Story Against Backdrop of Gang Culture

variety.com:

Naman Ramachandran Director Arun Karthick (Rotterdam selection “Sivapuranam,” Rotterdam winner “Nasir”) returns to Film Bazaar with “Aanaikatti Blues,” a story of young love set against the backdrop of rural gang culture in an Indian mountain village.

The film follows Gopi, 22, and Vishnupriya, 20, as they navigate a controversial live-in relationship while Gopi becomes increasingly entangled with a local gang.

The narrative follows Gopi’s descent into substance abuse through his involvement with “The 46 Gang,” a group of young men occupied with drinking, smoking, hunting, and cricket betting.

As his addiction deepens and paranoia sets in, the story tracks the impact on his relationship with Vishnupriya, culminating in a series of events that threaten their future together. “I was initiated into the sub-culture of small-town gang-life which led to some devastating personal consequences.