Richa Chadha, Nidhi Saxena’s Film Secret of a Mountain Serpent Shines at Venice 2025

BY SHANTISWAROOP TRIPATHI

At the 82nd Venice International Film Festival 2025, filmmaker Nidhi Saxena’s film Secret of a Mountain Serpent, executive produced by Richa Chadha, Ali Fazal, and produced by Rahul Saxena, was warmly received at its world premiere. Lead actors Adil Hussain and Trimala Adhikari, along with Cannes-winning producer Vimukthi Jayasundara, were also present at the premiere. This marks Nidhi Saxena’s second feature film, which opened the Biennale College Cinema program at Venice. The film also won the Biennale College Cinema Fund (Secrets of a Mountain Serpent Venice), making Nidhi the first Indian woman ever to receive this honor.

Nidhi’s debut feature film, Sad Letters of an Imaginary Woman, premiered at the 2024 Busan International Film Festival, where it also received the Asian Cinema Fund. (Secrets of a Mountain Serpent producers)

Richa Chadha Produced Mountain Serpent Joins Global Team

Secret of a Mountain Serpent has been produced by Forest Flower Films in collaboration with Cannes’ celebrated filmmaker and Camera d’Or winner Vimukthi Jayasundara, along with executive producers Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal’s Pushing Buttons Studios. The core team includes production designer Avni Goyal, editor Saman Alvitigala, and sound designer Neeraj Gera (Richa Chadha produced Mountain Serpent), with color grading by Bridge Postworks. The project is a collaboration between India, Italy, and Sri Lanka.

Actor Adil Hussain shared his experience, saying:

“I was overwhelmed by the power of its poetic imagery and soundscape. This is a profoundly anti-war film, but also one that advocates for freedom in love and desire—both themes woven together with immense beauty and compassion. Witnessing Nidhi’s cinematic vision come alive has been a deeply rewarding experience. I am grateful to be part of her cinematic journey.”

Sri Lankan filmmaker Vimukthi Jayasundara, a Camera d’Or award winner at Cannes who has collaborated with Nidhi on both her films, said: “This film is the fastest way of traveling back in time (Nidhi Saxena directorial debut film) and seeing the unseen. We are very proud to have made it.”

Executive producer Richa Chadha expressed:

“Watching Secret of a Mountain Serpent on the big screen for the first time, exactly as it was intended, was truly exhilarating. A film of this experimental nature would not have been possible without the support of the Venice College Fund. Nidhi’s voice and perspective are truly unique.”

Story

Set during the 1999 Kargil War, Secret of a Mountain Serpent unfolds in a remote Himalayan town devoid of men, where a lonely schoolteacher wanders in scarcity and silence—until a mysterious outsider unsettles her world. His arrival revives the myth (Venice premiere Secrets of Mountain Serpent) of a serpent waiting in the river, awakening desire and memory in equal measure.

Nidhi Saxena is an Indian writer and filmmaker with a background in painting, sculpture, and literature. Her artistic works focus on emotional intimacy, mythology, and the everyday nuances of women’s lives. Her debut feature, Sad Letters of an Imaginary Woman (Adil Hussain Mountain Serpent role), premiered at the 2024 Busan International Film Festival to international acclaim, receiving the Asian Cinema Fund grant. With Secret of a Mountain Serpent, chosen as a finalist project by Biennale College Cinema 2024–25, she continues her exploration of female solitude, communal memory, and the quiet rebellion of desires.

After the premiere, director Nidhi Saxena said:

“It was a deeply emotional and fulfilling experience. I had worked on the script for over a year at the Biennale’s script lab and directing lab, so having everyone there felt like a circle completed. After the screening (Indian female filmmaker Nidhi Saxena), I received very moving responses from the audience. Many people said it felt like their own story. That was incredibly rewarding.”

Forest Flower Films, Nidhi Saxena’s own production company based in Jaipur, was founded by Nidhi Saxena, Ajendra Singh Chawla, and Sunita. Together, they bring artistic vision, strategic partnerships, and financial management to create uncompromising feature films. Nidhi often says, “Every frame is like a painting that carries the weight of memory, longing, and silence.” Their commitment remains to explore women’s stories with honesty and depth, delving into the complexities of desire, solitude, and resilience.

FAQs

1. Is Richa Chadha producing the film Secret of a Mountain Serpent?
   Yes. Richa Chadha, along with Ali Fazal, has come aboard as producers under their banner, Pushing Buttons Studios.

2. Who’s directing Secret of a Mountain Serpent, and is it award-supported?
   It’s written and directed by Nidhi Saxena. She is the first Indian woman to receive the prestigious Biennale College Cinema grant to support this project.

3. When and where will the film premiere?
   The world premiere is set for August 2025 at the Venice International Film Festival, kicking off the Biennale College Cinema program.

4. Who are the lead actors in the film?
   The main roles are played by Trimala Adhikari (as schoolteacher Barkha) and Adil Hussain (as the mysterious outsider Manik Guho). 

5. How was Secret of a Mountain Serpent received at Venice?
   It received a heart-warming response at its world premiere, drawing audiences into its poetic, myth-rooted storytelling.

6. What’s the storyline of Secret of a Mountain Serpent?
   Set in a remote Himalayan town during the 1990s, the film explores isolation, myth, and female desire through Barkha, a teacher whose husband is posted at the border, until a stranger arrives and changes everything.

7. Who co-produced the film along with Pushing Buttons Studios?
   It’s co-produced with Forest Flower Films, led by Cannes Camera d’Or winner Vimukthi Jayasundara.

8. What’s unique about Nidhi Saxena’s filmmaking voice in this film?
   Saxena blends lyrical realism with folklore and mythology, crafting a hypnotic, poetic mood piece that centers on women reclaiming desire and agency.

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