17 February 2026 Punjab Khabarnama Bureau : Kurinji is an award-winning film project that was presented at the Berlinale Talents Script Station. It later received the Compagnon Fellowship in 2022 from Berlinale Talents and Perspektive Deutsches Kino. In 2024, the project won first place at the Film Bazaar Co-Production Market organised by the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) in Goa.
The film tells the story of Lali from Kerala, a wife and mother whose husband works in the Gulf countries. After twelve years, he suddenly stops contacting her and sending money. In search of her husband, Lali seeks help from a local Doordarshan television programme that assists in locating missing migrant workers. During this search, she uncovers the hidden life her husband has been living abroad. Caught between an uncertain future and a missing husband, Lali begins to re-examine her life and her sense of self.
The film is named after the Kurinji flower, which blooms once every twelve years in the Nilgiri mountain range. The flower symbolises waiting, endurance, and cycles of change.
French producer Nathalie Mezuré came across the project at the Goa Film Bazaar and was deeply moved by the authenticity of the story and the sensitive portrayal of a modern Indian woman crafted by director Payal Sethi. A German production company has also expressed interest in the film, further strengthening its international collaboration.
Director Payal Sethi says the film tells the story of women who, after their husbands migrate abroad, live with emotional loneliness while holding their families together. The film also questions the economic benefits of migration and its personal and emotional impact.
According to Filmkaravan producer Sonali Bawa, the film captures the true emotions of women’s lives in India and connects with audiences beyond borders.