A Kannada film at Busan is a reminder that our stories matter, says Anoop Lokkur

Bengaluru-born filmmaker Anoop Lokkur is set to make his mark on the global stage with the world premiere of his debut Kannada feature Don’t Tell Mother at the Busan International Film Festival. A deeply personal work, the film is rooted in memories of growing up in 1990s Bangalore and draws from his own life experiences, weaving together childhood incidents, family bonds, and the quiet strength of his mother. Having lived in Australia, Singapore, and the US, Anoop sees the film as both a tribute to his city and to his mother. “Growing up in Bangalore shaped everything for me. Even after living abroad, I always felt my childhood there was extraordinary — the perfect weather, the communal spirit, the sense that you were never alone. When writing the script of Don’t Tell Mother, I tried to capture that feeling. It felt like travelling back in time in my head, reliving the city, the people, and all the small details,” he tells Bangalore Times. Excerpts:

‘THE BUSAN SELECTION WAS A COMPLETE SURPRISE’
Reflecting on his film’s selection at Busan, Anoop says, “It was a complete surprise for all of us. We had gone ahead and made the film ourselves without a big production company behind us. Like many independent filmmakers, we sent it out to festivals and faced our share of rejections. So when the email from Busan came, I didn’t even check it right away; I assumed it was another rejection. Later, when I opened it, I was shocked to see that the film had been selected. This is a small, intimate, very personal film. I never knew how the industry would respond or whether people would connect with it. So getting that call from Busan felt incredibly validating. It was a reminder that what we’re doing matters.”

‘IT HAD TO BE IN KANNADA’
Don’t Tell Mother is semi-autobiographical, says Anoop. “I wanted to capture that feeling of childhood tastes and memories of growing up in Bengaluru in the ’90s, in the film.” While developing the narrative, he chose to weave in the mother’s perspective. “So often, mothers are in the background, their efforts taken for granted or left unacknowledged. We decided to make her presence and struggles felt. And in doing so, I became more aware of the hardships she endured, especially during those times when things were very different. In many ways, the film became a love letter not just to Bengaluru, but also to my mother.” “This is a story, rooted in the culture of old Bengaluru, especially South Bengaluru. I wrote it in the language I knew best. The dialogues came naturally. And since it’s also my mother tongue, it felt only right for the film to be in Kannada,” he says.

‘LANGUAGE IS NO BARRIER’
“Filmmakers need to tell the stories they truly want to tell,” says Anoop, adding, “Making a film is incredibly hard and takes years of your life, so it has to be something you believe in. For me, I’m drawn to stories I have a personal connection with - something that moves me emotionally. At the same time, I love watching sci-fi and would love to make one someday. I’d also enjoy making films with singing and dancing, because that’s what I grew up watching. Even though filmmaking is tough, you should still be able to have fun with it.” He also believes that language should never be a limitation. “If films from small countries can make an impact — look at Bengali cinema, which left a massive footprint on the world — then why not Kannada? At the end of the day, language doesn’t matter as long as the story is honest, truthful, and comes from the right place.” “As filmmakers, we aim to tell stories wherever possible, in whichever language the narrative demands. It’s about what feels right for the story, not about restricting ourselves to one language or industry. At the end of the day, cinema is about honesty and connection, and that transcends boundaries,” he says.

‘MY DREAM IS TO BRING MY FILM TO CINEMAS IN BENGALURU’
Now, Anoop hopes the film finds its way back to where it all began. “I want my film to be in theatres so people can watch it the way we did in the ‘90s. I remember the excitement of going to the movies with our parents, stopping for chaat, watching the film, and then falling asleep in the car on the way back. That’s why we’re doing the festival run first, but my dream is to eventually bring it to cinemas in Bengaluru,” he says.