Designed By Preeti
directed by
Canadian Premiere
Gayatri Everitt Bajpai
Designed by Preeti is a compelling and heartfelt romantic drama about Preeti Kumar, a resilient woman in her 50s who courageously escapes an oppressive and unfaithful marriage. Her journey towards independence is met with scorn from her conservative community as her daughter Mallika struggles to untangle the conflicting stories from her parents.
Programmer's Notes
After escaping an abusive marriage, an Indo-American woman in her 50s faces community backlash for defying cultural norms. As she rebuilds her life and develops a thriving fashion design career, she unexpectedly discovers a chance at love.
Preeti Kumar (Rashmi Rustagi) is trapped in an oppressive marriage and begins to reevaluate her life. Though fearful of the response of her conservative community, Preeti is tired of living an unhappy life. Along her journey to reclaiming her sense of self, she forms richly supportive friendships which help give her the confidence to pursue her long-held dream of being a fashion designer. Along the way, Preeti also discovers the possibility of a healthy romance in this inspiring story for personal transformation.
Drawing inspiration from real-life stories and anchored by a standout performance from lead actress and writer Rashmi Rustagi, Gayatri Bajpai’s film is an empowering story fortified by richly-layered South Asian characters.
- Richard Pierre
Cast
Rashami Rustagi, Ranjita Chakravarty, Anna Khaja, Sangeeta Agrawal, Jay Charan, Frank Lawson
About the Director
With roots in New Delhi and Vancouver, Gayatri Everitt Bajpai, weaves her multiethnic heritage into intricate stories of identity and belonging. Her short Halwa screened at over 100 festivals, and was licensed by HBO and Disney+. The UCLA graduate won Best Director at the Mumbai Indian Cine Film Festival for Yatra: The Journey (2023).