Indian production company Soul Sutra is presenting a 12-film Gujarati-language development and production slate at the Cannes Film Market this week.
The banner is led by Indian National Film Award-winning actor-producer Manasi Parekh and singer-producer Parthiv Gohil, who co-produced “Laalo – Krishna Sada Sahaayate” – the Ankit Sakhiya-directed devotional drama that became the highest-grossing Gujarati-language film in history after crossing INR100 crore ($11.7 million) worldwide on a production budget of just INR50 lakhs ($58,000).
The Cannes Film Market push marks the next chapter for the banner, which has built its slate across five Gujarati features to date. The most prominent upcoming project is “Jhamkudi 2,” a sequel to the company’s earlier horror entertainer, conceived as a commercially elevated spectacle aimed at broader theatrical audiences. Also on the slate are “Tofani Barkas,” a large-scale fantasy adventure for children with an emphasis on VFX, and “Laxman,” a rural Gujarat-set drama about a young boy whose bond with animals drives him to champion a cause for protecting them.
“Gujarati cinema has evolved tremendously over the last few years, and we believe regional stories now have the potential to connect with audiences worldwide. After ‘Laalo,’ the idea was to expand our production slate and actively explore global partnerships,” said Parekh.
“Laalo” was co-produced by Soul Sutra with Manifest Films.
Alongside its production activity, the company has also been building out a recently launched distribution arm, which holds a catalog of more than 35 Gujarati titles – including recent releases and films with remake and international distribution potential.
“The goal is to create a long-term global ecosystem for Indian regional content,” Parekh added. “There’s growing international curiosity for authentic Indian regional storytelling, and we see a strong opportunity to expand that market.”
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