Pyre Trailer: Vinod Kapri's Award-Winning Film Probes Mortality, Isolation And Love

Unveiled on October 12, the trailer for Vinod Kapri’s latest feature, Pyre, gives a peek into the lives of an aging couple coping with isolation in a depopulating Kumaoni village. The Uttarakhand-set drama is slated for a dual-language theatrical debut in Hindi and Malayalam on October 30.

The project stars two first-time actors from Uttarakhand: Padam Singh Kapri (80), a former Army officer taking on a self-named role, and Heera Devi (70), who plays Tulsi. Neither had ever been on set before filming.

Pyre Synopsis, Special Screenings

Set in a secluded Himalayan hamlet, the trailer spotlights Aama-Bubu (Padam Singh and Tulsi), a long-married pair grappling with the harsh, everyday trials of growing old in isolation. Their modest life is overshadowed by the 28-year absence of their son, Hariya—a storyline that reflects how out-migration fractures rural families. Shifting between gentle humor and sobering reflections on mortality and hardship, Pyre offers an intimate look at deep-rooted companionship in life's twilight years.

Prior to the theatrical release, special screenings are slated in Berinag, Bageshwar and Srinagar Garhwal from October 14 to 17 through Picture Time, a mobile theatre initiative aimed at reaching locations with limited access to permanent cinema halls.

“PYRE is a story that belongs to the mountains and to the people who live there. I wanted the people of Uttarakhand, especially those in smaller towns where there are no cinema halls, to have the opportunity to watch this film on the big screen. Cinema should not be limited by geography or access. With these screenings, we are taking the film to the audience rather than expecting the audience to travel to a city. I hope people see their own lives, their families and their emotions reflected in the film,” shared Vinod Kapri.

Pyre marked its world premiere at the 28th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, where it won the PÖFF Best Film Audience Award. It has since been played at a variety of international film festivals, including the São Paulo International Film Festival, Cambridge Film Festival, Bath Film Festival, Fajr International Film Festival and the International Film Festival of Kerala.

The film has reportedly picked up 18 international awards, including 15 Best Film awards. It also swept the Best Director awards in Serbia and Boston, along with recognition for its music, cinematography and sound.

Pyre is produced by Kapri, Suresh Joshi and Arindra Rai Chaudhuri under the banners Bhagirathi Films and Mashakbeen Studios. Cinepolis will handle the film's theatrical distribution.