Mangaluru: Award-winning director Abhaya Simha’s Tulu film, ‘Paddayi’ has won National Film Awards 2018 in the Best Tulu Film in 2017 category.

The 65th National Film Awards 2017 were announced today by the Chairpersons of the juries on Feature Films, Best Writing on Cinema and members of Dadasaheb Phalke Award and Non-Feature films.

The story of the ’Paddayi’ is based on the fishing community. Sync-sound technology has been used in this film for the first time ever in Coastalwood.

‘Paddayi’ is a modern day adaptation of the epic drama, ‘Macbeth’ from Shakespeare. This version of Macbeth plays out in a tiny village in the borders of mega city. Characters in the film belong to an indigenous community of fishermen. Madhava and Sugandhi are a newly married couple from the fishing community of South India. Their lust for better life and thirst for upward mobility is ignited by the prophecies from the spirit that wander the land.

Dinesha, owner of the fleet gives them new dreams and hopes. But when their life was on a new high, Dinesha betrays and takes back what he gave. Now Madhava and Sugandhi are determined for a bitter revenge. They set out on a journey riding the tide of ambition in a boat dotted by their personalities. Sugandhi provokes and Madhava is provoked.

Madhava in order to win over his insecurities, defeats his morality. The story soon turns into a tale of murder and regrets. Indeed earth hath bubbles that play mysterious games!.

The Director of the film, Abhaya Simha is a Film and Television Institute graduate. His first film Gubbachigalu won the National Award for the Best Children’s film and was screened in several National and International Film Festivals.

His second film Shikari too was screened in Kolkatta and Bangalore International Film Festivals. He is also an avid documentary filmmaker who has made more than 20 documentaries on culture and environmental issues. He was a part of Indian delegation of filmmakers at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2009. His scripts have been part of NFDC film lab and Docskool Writers Lab, Nepal.