Anoop Lokkur’s First Kannada Film Don’t Tell Mother to Premiere at Busan Film Festival

BY SHANTISWAROOP TRIPATHI

Born and raised in Bangalore, Anoop Lokkur has created his first Kannada feature film Don’t Tell Mother as a writer, director, and producer—drawing from the events of his own childhood. The film will have its world premiere (Don’t Tell Mother Busan premiere) at the prestigious 30th Busan International Film Festival in the “Windows on Asian Cinema” section, to be held from September 17–26, 2025.

Windows on Asian Cinema offers a glimpse into the diverse styles and perspectives of Asian cinema, showcasing the latest works of both established and emerging filmmakers. It gives audiences an understanding of contemporary Asian filmmaking. (Anoop Lokkur debut Kannada film)

Set in 1990s Bangalore, Don’t Tell Mother features Siddharth Swaroop as Aakash, Aishwarya Dinesh as Amma, Anirudh P. Kesarkar, and Karthik Nagarajan as Appa. The film is a tender, (Don’t Tell Mother family drama) emotionally resonant portrayal of childhood and the quiet remedies of love. A young boy suffers corporal punishment at school, while his mother silently bears the invisible weight of a patriarchal world. This shared tragedy forces the family to confront what has long remained unspoken. (1990s Bangalore coming-of-age film)

Excited about the Busan premiere, Anoop said:

“Don’t Tell Mother is the most personal film I’ve ever made. It comes from a deeply vulnerable place born out of my childhood memories and my love for my mother. Writing it helped me understand her struggles (Don’t Tell Mother Siddharth Swaroop) in ways I never had before. We were a small team, but every cast and crew member gave their all to bring this story to life. Now, to have our world premiere in Busan feels almost surreal. I am immensely grateful to the programmers who believed in our film, and I hope audiences will connect with it.” (Don’t Tell Mother Aishwarya Dinesh)

This Indo-Australian film is directed by Matthew Jenkins, edited by Pavan Bhat, and produced by Anoop Lokkur, Matthew Jenkins, and Mikayla Henke under the banners of Papunu Films and East Reel Films, with Nishil Sheth and Karan Kadam as co-producers. (Don’t Tell Mother world premiere Busan)

At its heart, the story follows nine-year-old Aakash, who endures secret violence at school, while forming an unbreakable bond with his strict yet loving mother (Amma) and his younger brother in 1990s Bangalore. Aakash absorbs the anger of a frustrated math teacher—a pain he hides from Amma. At home, Amma struggles with the suffocating demands of a patriarchal society that leaves little room for her own identity. As tensions rise, Aakash finds solace in his innocent younger brother, Adi. But when tragedy strikes, their fragile relationships are tested in unexpected ways, forcing Aakash to confront grief, guilt, and a newfound empathy for the mother he once feared. (Don’t Tell Mother deeply personal film)

Don’t Tell Mother is a deeply human story about the emotional legacies passed down from parents to children. It captures the confusion of childhood, the quiet heartbreak of motherhood, and those shimmering moments of grace that lie between pain and understanding. Set in a world where love often arrives entwined with suffering, the film explores how children inherit not only affection but also anger, fear, and silence. It peels back the layers of family life to reveal the wounds we soothe, the patterns we repeat, and the resilience needed to break free.

Writer, director, and producer Anoop Lokkur is an Indian-origin filmmaker now based in Melbourne, originally from Bangalore, India. His debut feature Don’t Tell Mother will have its world premiere at the 2025 Busan International Film Festival. After completing a postgraduate degree in International Business and pursuing a corporate career, Anoop studied filmmaking at the Victorian College of the Arts. His short film Long Distance screened at festivals like MIFF and Palm Springs ShortFest, later acquired by Canal+. A 2019 MIFF Accelerator Lab alum, his work explores the complexities of human relationships through a naturalistic style marked by intimacy and emotional honesty.

The director explained:

“Don’t Tell Mother is a deeply personal film inspired by my childhood in a middle-class Bangalore household. It reflects the silent wounds of childhood—the moments of trauma that shape us in unseen ways. Two specific incidents from my past form the foundation of this story. One was the day my math teacher brutally beat me in class for talking too much—a violence that was common, yet left lasting scars. The other was a painful moment when my younger brother was hospitalized because of me, his survival uncertain. Though personal, these experiences mirror the reality of countless Indian children, where corporal punishment is normalized and its impact dismissed.

At the heart of the story is my mother—a woman torn between her dreams and societal expectations. I watched her struggle to fulfill her aspirations, silenced repeatedly by a patriarchal society. She was caught between two worlds—her family and her ambitions—both contradictory in a culture that expected her to hide behind her children. Making this film allowed me to truly understand her journey for the first time—her sacrifices, her resilience, and the quiet battles she fought as a woman in the 1990s. Too often, mothers are blamed for children’s mistakes while fathers are credited for their successes. They rarely receive the recognition they deserve. Even today, gender roles dictate that women shoulder the burden of child-rearing and household responsibilities, often at the cost of their own ambitions. Through this film, I wanted to explore not just the impact of violence on children, but also the emotional cost borne by women forced to live in a world that often denies them identity and freedom.”

FAQs

Q1. What is the name of Anup Lokkur's first Kannada film?
Ans. The name of Anup Lokkur's first Kannada filmis'Don't Tell Mother' .

Q2. Where will the film 'Don't Tell Mother' be screened?
Ans. The film will be screened at the Busan Film Festival 2025.

Q3. 'Don't Tell Mother' is a film in which language?
Ans. It is a Kannada-language film.

Q4. Who is Anup Lokkur?
Ans. Anup Lokkur is a Kannada filmmaker. This is his first Kannada film.

Q5. Why is Busan Film Festival considered special?
Ans. Busan Film Festival is a prestigious international film festival in Asia, which gives global recognition to new films and filmmakers.

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