Thali was born out of a memory that has stayed with me since childhood — a simple, painful moment that revealed the deep scars of caste and inequality that still divide us. The story follows Bala, a young boy from a rural village, whose innocent dream of eating a rice plate at a hotel becomes a quiet confrontation with the invisible walls of caste. What seems like a small act — sitting down to eat — turns into a moment of exclusion that defines his understanding of dignity and belonging.

As a filmmaker, I wanted to explore this moment not through anger, but through silence — through the spaces between what is said and what is withheld. Thali is not just about discrimination; it’s about the yearning to be seen as equal, the quiet dignity of a child, and the cruelty of a society that pretends not to see its own prejudice. The film speaks through gestures, glances, and the emptiness that lingers after rejection.

The narrative is deeply personal. Growing up in a small Indian town, I have witnessed such incidents — ordinary yet devastating — where a person’s worth was measured not by their humanity but by their caste. 

I wanted to capture that truth with honesty, restraint, and empathy. Every frame of Thali reflects the textures of rural Maharashtra — its dusty roads, its small eateries, its quiet afternoons — to ground the story in realism and memory.

Visually, I chose a minimal, naturalistic style — muted colors, static frames, and ambient sound — to let the audience experience the discomfort without distraction. The film’s emotional rhythm is carried by its silences and the haunting score, evoking the inner world of Bala more than what he can express in words.

Thali is my attempt to hold up a mirror — to question who we are as a society and how we treat those we consider beneath us. It’s also a tribute to resilience, to the countless children who dream beyond the boundaries imposed upon them. Through Bala’s eyes, I hope viewers are reminded that equality is not an abstract idea — it is as simple and essential as being able to share a meal with dignity.