Sudhanshu Saria's queer film 'Taps' released on his birthday
What's the story
Celebrated filmmaker Sudhanshu Saria has said that his latest project, a short film titled Taps, is a tribute to the LGBTQ+ community that contributed to his career. The film was released on Wednesday, on Saria's 41st birthday.
Speaking to Mid-Day, he said, "I love that I found my journey back into queer stories by producing a queer love story."
Career progression
Saria's journey from 'Loev' to 'Taps'
Saria debuted in the film industry with Loev, a drama revolving around a same-sex relationship, in 2015.
A decade later, after directing a feature film titled Ulajh in 2024, he was overwhelmed with gratitude for the queer community.
He elaborated that Taps is his way of "giving it back to the community that launched my career."
Film accessibility
'Taps' is available for free on YouTube
By releasing Taps for free on YouTube, Saria has made it accessible to everyone. He believes this move highlights the need to keep conversations around queer narratives alive.
Presented by actor-producer couple Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal, the film also marks the debut of a few new artists in the industry.
Fresh faces
'Taps' introduces new talent to the industry
Written and directed by first-timer Arvind Caulagi, Taps stars Ullas Samrat, Pulkit Samrat's younger brother, and Rohit Mehra.
Saria lauded his casting director Shivam Gupta for his talent-scouting skills.
He revealed, "We launched a search, and got Ullas and Rohit. I had no idea that Ullas had any connection to the industry."
Future plans
Saria's upcoming project and release strategy
After Taps, Saria is now focusing on his next directorial, Sanaa, which features Radhikka Madan. The film has already done the rounds of several festivals last year.
On what release format it will take, he said, "I haven't thought whether it will be a theatrical offering or an OTT one because the audience only wants to watch a good film."