Manohara's journey from child actor to Shanghai albinism film director

Indian actor and filmmaker Manohara has had an inspiring journey. Hailing from a humble background in Bengaluru, southern India, Manohara was cast out of school and cast by filmmaker Prithvi Konanur in “Railway Children” (2016), which won him the Best child actor at India's National Film Awards.

Manohara then played supporting roles in Konanur's Busan and Hainan selection “Where Is Pinki?” (2020) and the Busan, Hong Kong and Goa title “Seventeeners”, on which he also contributed.

“Bird of a Different Feather” (“Mikka Bannada Hakki”) is based on the autobiography of the same name by Sonia S. Written by Manohara and Sonia S, the film was selected for the Shanghai International Film Festival where it received five nominations at the Asian New Talent Awards.

“Bird of a Different Feather” is the coming-of-age story of Sonia, who has albinism. Sonia comes from a poor family in a small village near Bangalore. Her alcoholic father almost despises her for who she is. And his mother is helpless, although well-meaning. Aged 12, Sonia is saved from suicide by her mother. Sonia is admitted to a new school in town with new classmates who are discriminatory and hostile because of her appearance, and her teachers are apathetic. The film explores her transformation from a shy, self-pitying teenager into a mature young woman who learns to live in peace with herself and her surroundings.

“I wanted to inspire young people in my first film. I searched for a story along these lines in many places for several weeks. When I told this to Prithvi Konanur, he gave me 14-year-old Sonia's autobiography about her struggle with albinism. Before I even started reading the novel, what interested me was the subject of albinism. Before that, I didn't know that there was such a disease as albinism. What inspired me beyond that was a girl who at one point decided to commit suicide after being rejected and mistreated by society and her friends, transforms herself positively and maintains relationships with society in a more positive way,” Manohara said. Variety.

“If you want to achieve something in life, all you need is perseverance, effort and a desire, and no flaw in life can stop you,” says Manohara about what he wants to convey it through film.

Manohara had worked with Konanur as an assistant during the making of the children's documentary “Action, Drama, Cut”. “I had seen him work comfortably with children. And for his first film, I felt he would be comfortable with a childish subject. So, when he wanted to explore a topic, he visited a few NGOs and other organizations that work with children on a youth topic. However, he was not satisfied with any of the themes and topics he encountered,” Konanur said. Variety.

Around this time, Konanur read Sonia S's autobiography and felt that it would be a good fit for Manohara. “I also knew that it wouldn’t just come from the novel. So, I had Manohara read this and when he felt there was something interesting in the story, Manohara and Sonia sat down together to weave the storyline. So, in essence, the storyline is taken from the lives of Manohara and Sonia,” Konanur said.

A significant portion of “Bird of a Different Feather” was filmed in Manohara Village. The film is produced by Konanur Productions from Konanur.

Manohara, 22, is now pursuing his first year of master's degree in commerce in Bangalore and has also participated in the sowing of ragi (finger millet) in his village on the approach to Shanghai. “I want to make films that mirror society. I am working on such a scenario. Having lived my life amidst middle class – poor families at home and in college, I intend to explore a love story of the poor. What it means to be this loving couple with no money and the huge burden of the future on their heads,” Manohara said.

Konanur has a few scripts ready, including “Rashid” which was at the Asian Project Market in Busan in 2022. As for his plans for Manohara, he says, “I would encourage him to do films as well, but continue to pursue his passion for theater. in mainstream films. Because, quite simply, he is a brilliant actor. One of the best on the market.”