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Sraiyanti Haricharan / Short Documentary / India / Kannada / 29:04 / 2025

Mohana, the visionary president of Tamil Nadu’s first women-led auto-rickshaw union, grapples with the immense responsibility of building a dream that comes with a weight she’s only beginning to understand.

By her side is Leela Rani, a fellow driver, confidante, and steadfast friend, whose fiery personality often clashes with Mohana’s quiet determination as they navigate the relentless, systemic discrimination of a heavily male-dominated profession.

Despite their differing approaches to daily injustices, their bond remains an unshakeable force.Together, they bear the torch for an army of women who dream of equal opportunities, laying the groundwork for a movement far grander than themselves.

Set against the vibrant backdrop of Chennai’s bustling streets, this film is a powerful testament to the quiet mobility revolution sparked by the enduring power of friendship, unwavering grit, and profound sisterhood.

Director, Writer: Sraiyanti
Producer: Mathivanan Rajendran, Sarabhi Ravichandran, Sruti Lodha
Cast: Mohana Sundari, Leela Rani
DoP: Prem Akkattu
Editor: Sraiyanti
Sound Design: Raghav Ramesh

Directors’ bio:

Sraiyanti (b.1993) is a cinematographer and director whose work blurs the line between observation and storytelling. Trained in cinematography at Bournemouth University, she brings a visual sensitivity shaped by her background in design and her roots in Tamil Nadu, where film and politics have long intersected. 

Shaped by the rise of authoritarian politics in India, her work sits at the intersections of caste, class, and gender. Drawing inspiration from the state’s rationalist movement, she makes non-fiction cinema that sparks reflection, conversation, and new ways of seeing. 

Sraiyanti has directed Tambram Cooking, a non-fiction short which screened at New York Indian Film Festival and International Documentary & Short Film Festival of Kerala in 2023. Her work as a cinematographer include the feature films Gargi and Detective Ujjwalan, and a short film, The Feast, directed by Rishi Chandna, which won the Special Jury Prize at Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival in 2024.