An Indian Immigrant’s faith is tested by a freak accident, leaving him nothing but God and a vibrant imagination on his side.
Smar, a young Indian immigrant, is thrust into a harsh reality after a freak accident in an American metropolis. He struggles to survive in the shadows of the city as he swings between reality and vivid daydreams of his homeland. Haunted by the memory of a childhood myth of a 10-headed demon, Smar is forced to confront his identity between two cultures. As he scavenges through the discarded excess of those more privileged, he is faced with the reality of the American dream and the myth that now haunts him. His art, once a solace, becomes a desperate attempt to piece together his sense of self amidst the chaos. As his memories, myth, and reality intertwine, Smar’s psychological journey becomes a magical exploration of faith, the resilience of the human spirit, and the pursuit of belonging in an indifferent world.
Written, directed, edited, and co-produced by: Mrugesh Thakor
Co-Producers: Sanjay Chouhan, Tim Bohrman, Kaashvi Agarwal, Aaron Hu
Director of Photography - USA - Aaron Hu, India - Gaurav Sharma
Production Design - USA - Nick Stapp, India - David Soares
Original music by - Jairaj Kulkarni at Prayaag Studio
Sound Designed by - Adil Nadaf at Otave Studios
Color - Ben Tillinghast
Developed under the guidance of the Gotham's 2024 career development program and Pratt Institute Film/Video
As a filmmaker, I have always been drawn to stories that occupy the spaces where memory and reality, myth and modernity, coexist and collide. I fimly believe that a magical surrelist lens is a great reflection of the complex reality of the immigrant experience. Color of God emerged from a deeply personal reflection on displacement, faith, and the pursuit of the American Dream. This film is about survival and resilience, told through the eyes of Smar, an immigrant grappling with his identity amidst the harsh indifference of a foreign city.
Growing up in India, I was surrounded by vivid stories of gods and demons that shaped our understanding of morality and purpose. These tales were not merely mythologies; they were the lenses through which we made sense of our struggles and triumphs. When I moved to the U.S, I encountered a stark contrast, a society that celebrates abundance yet leaves so many on the fringes. This difference between the vibrant mythology of my upbringing and the bleak materialism of my surroundings informed Smar’s journey, as well as my own.
Shooting Color of God was a profoundly special experience, as it allowed me to bridge the two worlds that shaped me. Filming in the U.S, my current reality, captured the quiet struggle of immigrants like me. Taking this story back home to my little town in India felt like capturing a piece of my childhood: a world of vivid color, bustling life, and shared myths that still live in me and countless others. The process was like stitching together fragments of my identity, weaving my personal history into a universal narrative of belonging and resilience.
Color of God is not just a narrative but a sensory experience that juxtaposes the chaos of the urban landscape with the ethereal beauty of Smar’s memories and imagination. Through its unique structure, magical realism, mythological elements, and a psychological and interpretive tone, I aim to capture the texture of displacement, the weight of trauma, and the fleeting moments of grace that remind us why we endure.
This film is deeply personal, but I hope it resonates universally. It is a love letter to the resilience of the human spirit and a call to see the invisible threads that connect us all, no matter how divided our worlds may seem.
Color of God - narrative psychological drama - short film - 16:9 Digital - 13 mins 40 seconds - currently in it's festival run.
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