First look of 'The Hungry' starring Tisca Chopra and Naseeruddin Shah

An adaptation of William Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus set in contemporary New Delhi
, 'The Hungry' starring Naseeruddin Shah and Tisca Chopra, and produced by Cinestaan Film Company, is about the violence that exists between power and love. Director Bornila Chatterjee was fascinated by the lesser known Shakespearean tragedy's unapologetically manic dissection of basic instincts, which led her to adapt this tale to the screen.

Talking about The Hungry, Naseeruddin Shah, who plays a pivotal role in the film, said, “What really got through to me was that it’s a pretty accurate picture of the small town power elite in India where you have the sugar barons, the guys who make textile or landlords. There have been many instances of brothers gunning each other down, parents killing their children or vice versa. It was a sort of an attempt to understand people of that kind, and not pass judgment on them.”

About the film

Tulsi Joshi is a single mother seeking revenge for the brutalities committed against her family. The target? Tathagat Ahuja, a ruthless corporate tycoon, and his picture-perfect family. The venue? His son's wedding on the family's opulent estate outside Delhi.

Based on Shakespeare's 'Titus Andronicus', The Hungry follows Tulsi into this colourful den of corruption and false celebrations, where, with each passing hour, her murderous desires to get even are battled by her own humanity and compassion. But she isn't the only one at the wedding with an appetite for vengeance and as the festivities continue, Tulsi must decide how much more she is willing to lose in order to see her plan through to the very end.

From the director

"As one of Shakespeare's lesser-known works, Titus Andronicus is probably best known for its scenes of decapitations, dismemberments and of course, cannibalism. It's an unapologetically manic dissection of basic instincts that might be difficult to stomach.


But inside that unfettered mania, there is poetry and nuance and complexity that Tanaji, Kurban and I look forward to translating onscreen. We've taken Shakespeare's arch villain Tamora and turned her into our heroine Tulsi, who finds her desire to avenge one son's death in direct conflict with her desire to keep her other son alive as she navigates all the drama, pomp and circumstance of a fabulous Indian wedding."