“Virgins. Rose Milk. Mothers in Law. Hymens. Jaangris. Mannequins and much more.”
This is how US-based filmmaker Priyanka Krishnan describes her Tamil short film Thottal Poo Malarum, which recently premiered at the 2026 New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF). What happens when wedding dreams, social status and the pressure to appear “perfect” collide? That’s the question at the heart of the campy comedy which follows a status-obsessed bride-to-be whose dream of marrying into high society depends on maintaining an illusion of “purity.”
Written and directed by Krishnan, produced by Raman Nimmala, and starring the likes of Samyuktha Viswanathan, Ponni Suresh and Vatsan Natarajan among others, the Tamil short takes a culturally specific idea and spins it into a sharp, entertaining story that is equal parts provocative, funny and relatable.
With a longer feature-length version already in development, director Priyanka Krishnan and actor Samyuktha Viswanathan talk to us about the film’s origins, its festival journey, and what’s next for both of them. Excerpts...
How did Thottal Poo Malarum begin? What sparked the idea for the film and why set it in Chennai?
Priyanka: The idea came from reading about fake virginity products being sold online; things like artificial hymens and fake blood kits. The deeper I researched, the more I discovered an entire ecosystem built around preserving the illusion of virginity, including procedures like hymenoplasty. It was shocking, but at the same time, it felt very familiar. Growing up in Chennai, I understood the shame and secrecy that often surrounds relationships and women's choices. That tension and absurdity of it, but also its reality, became the starting point for Thottal Poo Malarum.
Though I've been based in New York now for the last 15 years, I’m originally from Chennai. We have been developing this idea as a short and proof of concept for a feature, with our actors and collaborators. Our intention was to shoot it in Chennai, because that's where the story is, and that's where I see the movie taking place.
Samyuktha, how did you come on board for the project?
Samyuktha: It was a bit of serendipity, honestly. Back then — my pre-Katchi Sera era, if you will — I was doing short films and figuring things out. But even while pursuing commercial work, my heart was always drawn to independent, collaborative filmmaking, where everyone contributes creatively and builds something together.
I had studied in New York for a few years, but when Priyanka first reached out, I didn’t really know her or anyone involved in the project. I was shooting another film in Hyderabad, but I remember seeing that she was based in New York and had done her master’s at Columbia, and I immediately thought of her as someone doing really interesting work.
What really hooked me was the subject matter. Growing up in Chennai, the idea itself didn’t startle me because it felt like one of those things that existed in the background; you knew about the pressures surrounding purity and reputation. But when I started reading more deeply about it, I realised how extensive and serious the issue actually was.
More importantly, Priyanka had a very specific and unexpected take on it. She wasn’t approaching it in the most obvious way, and that immediately drew me in. I remember reading the script, seeing the two central characters, and telling her, “I want to play this character.” She laughed and said, “That’s great, because that’s exactly who we had in mind for you.”
From that point on, I was completely committed. I basically told her, “Please don’t let me go, I really want to be part of this!"
How would you describe the central conflict of the film?
Priyanka: At its core, the film asks a simple question: How far would a bride go to have the wedding of her dreams? More specifically, what is she willing to do — or lose — to protect that dream?
You've described Thottal Poo Malarum as a very local story rooted in Chennai, yet it deals with a subject that many people may not immediately associate with Tamil cinema. Did that concern you at all?
Priyanka: I think it’s ultimately on us as filmmakers to find a way to tell the story so that it connects with audiences, regardless of where they come from. Every industry has its own mainstream cinema, and at the same time we’re seeing the rise of independent filmmaking across regions, whether that’s in Malayalam cinema or elsewhere.
Our first initial litmus test was with our own crew in Chennai. They were like, “Okay, this is messed up, but also interesting. I didn't know this kind of thing happens.” One of our first ADs was 21, and I was talking to this 21-year-old boy about hymens and vaginas, and for a second I had to stop and be like, okay, I don't want to overwhelm him. But he was curious and wanted to understand everything.
I get that same reaction across the spectrum. Anywhere I go, it's like, “Oh wow, I cannot believe something like this exists,” which is kind of why we're very excited to tell it.
Where is the feature adaptation currently at?
Priyanka: We're still developing the script and hope to continue the research and development process in India later this year. The plan is to raise financing and shoot it within the next couple of years, with the goal of a theatrical release. While it's very much a local story told in Tamil and rooted in a specific cultural context, it's also a dark, campy comedy with strong genre elements, so we believe it can connect with both Tamil audiences and festival audiences around the world.
We actually have two shorts that have gone through the festival circuit this year, a Telugu-language project O’Sey Balamma, which I produced, and Thottal Poo Malarum. We premiered O’Sey Balamma at Sundance and have been screening it for audiences in New York. Now, we're excited to bring these films back home. The goal is to showcase them through festival screenings or organise local screenings in cities like Hyderabad, Chennai and Mumbai. Eventually, we'd also like to make them more widely accessible through YouTube or another online platform.
Samyuktha, as an actor navigating both mainstream and independent projects, did you ever think about how a film like this might fit into your career?
Samyuktha: I remember very clearly this one thing that someone close to me said, that at the end of the day, it's about what you can go to sleep at night peacefully with. I knew for a fact that if I passed on this because of what people might think, it would be something I would kick myself about.
Having lived in New York and studied at Tisch (Tisch School Of The Arts), I've always been drawn to stories that push boundaries. At the same time, I grew up on Tamil cinema, so I've never wanted to be put in a box as an actor. A lot of people have told me to streamline my choices, but I've always gone with my gut. I knew that if I passed on this project because of how it might affect my career, I'd regret it.
My biggest concern was how my parents would react. But when I explained the subject to my mother, she said, "People need to know about this, and film is the best way to get people to know about it."
I don't even know how Priyanka got a performance out of me in that genre, because I was so scared about it. I was initially terrified of performing in a dark comedy, but I ended up having a lot of fun. At the end of the day, that's what matters to me.
Looking ahead, do you see your future as a filmmaker in India, the US, or somewhere in between?
Priyanka: What I can most truthfully write and direct is actually a mix of both. The goal is definitely to make regional, local films. I got a lot of feedback saying, “Why don't you do this in Mumbai? Why don't you do this in Hindi?” And I said, great ideas, but it's just that I can't totally tell what a young girl in Mumbai would do.
We're trying to find a way to not necessarily put ourselves in a box. We want to find a new language where it can be funny, it can be commercial, it can be accessible, but we're also being very specific with the tone. Making the kind of movies that I want to watch is really the goal!
Samyuktha, what's next for you on the film front?
Samyuktha: I have the fantasy rom-com Double Occupancy up next, releasing on June 12. This film, too, felt like a community effort; a group of young filmmakers coming together to make something fresh and experimental. We're all wondering whether audiences will love it or think we're completely nuts, but the response we've heard so far has been very encouraging.
Then I'm looking forward to Mr. Bhaarath (produced by Lokesh Kanagaraj under his G Squad banner), which is a feel-good romantic comedy, and I also have Dulquer Salmaan’s I'm Game, which is a sci-fi-fantasy project! I grew up reading and watching stories in that space, so it's a genre I've always loved. Director Nahas Hidhayath has really pulled a rabbit out of his hat with that one; we've wrapped shooting, finished dubbing, and it's currently in post-production.