Calcutta, I’m Sorry wants to be on OTT

Chennai-based Harry MacLure, a well-known face of the Anglo-Indian community, is drumming up support for the release of his latest film Calcutta, I’m Sorry on OTT platforms.

Global Anglo-Indian Network (GAIN) has started a petition on Change.org asking people to support the campaign and showcase the talented, spirited people who have been part of the film.

Harry, who has scripted and directed the film, is a board member of GAIN.

Calcutta, I’m Sorry is centred around Anglo-Indian characters, but is not a story about the Anglo-Indian community per se but brings out the essence of being Anglo-Indian. Featuring Priscilla Corner, who plays the protagonist Amanda Wright diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, the film takes viewers on an emotional road trip from Coonoor to Kolkata on a trusty bicycle where she sets out to meet her granddaughter.

The work on the movie began in 2019, but pandemic and other challenges delayed its theatrical release. In 2022, Harry and team completed the post production of the film that runs to 1.52 minutes.

“Usually a movie is released in theatres and then someone comes forward to buy it and put it on an OTT platform, which did not happen in the case of this film,” says Harry, who has started the petition to get more signatures so that it draws the attention of OTT platforms.

Besides showcasing the artistic talent of the Anglo-Indian community, the film has a powerful message from a lady with multiple sclerosis.

The petition reads, “This film beautifully captures the essence of our journey, moving through themes of family, search and redemption as it follows a determined woman’s journey on a bicycle. It is a story of a woman’s quest for a hug from a granddaughter she has never met, representing the deep emotional roots and resilience of our people.”

By supporting this campaign, you are helping us amplify voices that have remained on the periphery for too long, the note adds.

Special screening

In the last few years, Harry has been screening the film for select groups. The Multiple Sclerosis Society of India, Chennai chapter, had a special screening of the film in 2024.

Recently, a Malayalam film distributor who liked the film said the movie would do well in Malayalam and wanted Harry to dub it.

“But I am hesitant, how can an Anglo-Indian story where we speak in English do well in Malayalam?” he wonders.

Filmmaking is not new to Harry who also is editor of Anglos In The Wind, an international magazine for the community. In 2013, he directed Going Away, a film about the community’s migration to foreign lands.

The petition adds: “Help us showcase the talented bunch we are and ensure the world truly knows us through our films.”

Visit https://c.org/CSwSdX7Djv.