‘Masthishka Maranam’ wins awards, director hopes to pave way for young filmmakers

Bengaluru: Director RK Krishand’s sci-fi film Masthishka Maranam: A Frankenbiting of Simon’s Memories has picked up multiple awards on the festival circuit, cementing the National Award winner’s first commercial release as a critical success.

The film, which hit theaters in February, won Best Screenplay and the Jury Prize for Technical Innovation at the Bengaluru International Film Festival last week. It also bagged the Special Mention for Direction at the Kerala State Film Awards announced Monday.

Masthishka Maranam sits in the liminal space between reality, truth, and altered reality, tackling consumption economy, artificial intelligence, voyeurism, male gaze, social media, and the attention economy. The story tracks Simon, whose memories are harvested and sold in a hyper-mediated future.

While the film polarized general audiences, critics praised its ambition and craft. Its box office run turned a profit, rare for Indian sci-fi with a philosophical bent.