‘Delhi Crime’ Producer’s ‘Kurinji’ Sets France Co-Production Deal

France’s Blue Monday Prods. has boarded Kerala-set drama “Kurinji” as a co-producer alongside U.S.-based FilmKaravan and India’s Eastern Eagle Production. The partnership was unveiled at Berlin’s European Film Market.

The project, helmed by filmmaker Payal Sethi, was presented at Berlinale Talents Script Station before receiving the Kompagnon Fellowship from Perspektive Deutsches Kino and Berlinale Talents in 2022. The film subsequently took top honors at the 2024 NFDC Film Bazaar co-production market in Goa.

Set in the southern Indian state of Kerala, “Kurinji” follows Laly, a wife and mother whose husband has been working in the Gulf. When he suddenly stops calling and sending money after 12 years, Laly turns to a local television program that helps trace missing migrant workers. Her search uncovers his hidden life abroad, forcing her to confront an uncertain future and imagine a different life for herself.

The film takes its name from the kurinji flower, which blooms once every 12 years in the Nilgiris mountain range, reflecting the story’s themes of waiting, endurance and change.

French producer Nathalie Mesuret of Blue Monday discovered the project at Film Bazaar and boarded the production there. Mesuret’s recent credits include Léonor Serraille’s ”Ari,” which was in competition at the 2025 Berlinale. The production is also in negotiations with Daniel Tenné of German production company 70 Steps to board the project.

“I was aware of stories of men who migrate, but I noticed almost nothing was said about the women left behind — women living in a kind of emotional exile, holding their homes together in their husbands’ absence,” said Sethi. “‘Kurinji’ grew from a desire to tell this story from the woman’s perspective. The film captures Laly as she evolves through the repetitions of daily life. Her awakening is quiet, but it changes everything around her. Through her journey, I also question the belief that the economic benefits of migration outweigh its personal cost.”

FilmKaravan’s debut series, “Delhi Crime,” premiered at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival and won best drama series at the 48th International Emmy Awards, marking India’s first win in the category. The show’s third season was released in November 2025.

FilmKaravan producer Sonali Bawa noted the thematic connection to the company’s previous work. “After producing the International Emmy-winning ‘Delhi Crime,’ which explored the contemporary reality of women in India, ‘Kurinji’ felt like a natural fit for us,” Bawa said. “Though rooted in Kerala, the film speaks across borders through its authentic and moving portrayal of families shaped by migration as an emotional experience. Supporting Payal and her story felt like a natural move, allowing us to champion her strong artistic voice and bring meaningful narratives to the screen since we produced her short films ‘Grant St. Shaving Co.’ (2010) and ‘Leeches’ (2016), both of which enjoyed successful festival runs.”

Eastern Eagle Production, established in 2023, focuses on amplifying regional voices through authentic storytelling, bridging local talent and filmmakers with global audiences.

Blue Monday, founded in 2007, produces arthouse cinema and has won prestigious awards including the Caméra d’Or at Cannes 2017. In 2025, the company had films in competition at Cannes, Berlin, Venice and San Sebastian.

Stuttgart-based 70 Steps develops and co-produces fiction and documentary projects for national and international audiences, with credits including Georgian political film “Tear Gas” and “She Makes and Unmakes.”