IRS officer’s debut movie screened at Kolkata International Film Festival

Kolkata, Nov 12 (PTI) A serving Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer has made a rare leap from tax administration to cinema, marking his debut as a movie maker with “Kathakar Ki Diary: The Story of Ordinary Lives,” which premiered at the ongoing 31st Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF).

Rooted in West Bengal but universal in appeal, “Kathakar Ki Diary” follows five characters — a child, a cancer-stricken photographer, a musician, a transwoman, and an athlete — and explores themes of diversity, resilience and human connection.

The filmmaker, Anwesh, currently serves as a Joint Commissioner in the GST department in Pune. His film was screened under the Asian Select Netpac category of the KIFF.

“Cinema has always been my way of understanding people and their struggles. I wanted to tell stories that mirror ordinary lives — quiet yet powerful,” he told PTI.

The film has already earned international recognition — winning Best Film (No Budget Category) at the International New York Film Festival (INYFF), Best Film at the Director’s Cut Film Festival in Canada and British Columbia, and Best International Feature Film at the Director’s Cut International Film Festival, Vancouver, Anwesh claimed.

Completed in two-and-a-half years, the film was made on a "crowd-funded" budget of under USD 15,000. More than 200 independent and tribal artists, including members of the Hill Kharia community, worked voluntarily on the project.

“This film belongs to every artist who believed in the story, not in money,” Anwesh said, expressing gratitude after the screening.

National Award-winning editor Aseem Sinha was so moved by the script that he offered to edit the film without charge, the IRS officer-turned-director said.

Veteran actor Shatrughan Sinha, after a private viewing, described the film as “deeply human and emotionally rich,” Anwesh said.

A trained performing artist with a Master’s degree, Chatterjee balances his administrative duties with his creative calling.

“Being in the IRS taught me about structure and empathy; filmmaking taught me how to listen. Both, in their own ways, are about serving people,” said Anwesh. PTI BSM NN