(left) Stills from ‘Chingam’ and ‘The Divine Hustle’.
Chingam, directed by debut filmmaker Abhay Sharma, and The Divine Hustle, will premiere at the Chicago South Asian Film Festival 2025. While Chingam will be screened on September 19, 2025, The Devine Hustle will premiere on September 21, 2025.
The Divine Hustle, directed by Sonali Rajkumar Devnani, follows two children, Khushi and Gopal, along with Abhishek, a young father, who don the avatar of Indian Gods as a means of survival and to navigate lives gripped by poverty. Shot in Varanasi, Mathura, Pushkar, and Vrindavan, the film delves into a world rife with irony, a spiritual world dotted with monetary transactions.
The film begins with the Kumbh Mela, setting the stage for the larger exploration of themes of faith and religion in the country. The Divine Hustle is produced by Mahesh Vasnani, with cinematography by Gaurav Bhalerao and Satish Khare, editing by Gasper D’Souza, and music composed by Neeraj Chouhan and Sanjay Sharma.
Speaking about the world premiere of the film at the Chicago South Asian Film Festival 2025, Sonali Rajkumar Devnani remarked about The Divine Hustle, “Thefilm is about children and a young father who bear the weight of gods – not out of devotion, but for survival. In their painted faces, I saw both innocence and exploitation, and through this film, I explore the fragile line between faith, belief, and necessity.”
Set in the misty hills of Himachal Pradesh, Chingam is a bittersweet tale of unfulfilled dreams and rekindled bonds. The film tells the story of Ajay (Abhay Sharma) and Radhika (Swati Nayal), two former sweethearts whose paths cross years later.
As they meet again, both carrying the burden of unfulfilled dreams, forgotten memories, and unspoken emotions, they are forced to confront what was left behind. At its core, the film reflects on how time tests both the heart and the choices we make.
Abhay has also co-written the film with Aryan Singh and Aditya Singh. The cast includes Akhil Sharma, Som, and Dimple Sharma in pivotal roles.
Chingam is produced by Ajay Reddy K, who also served as the creative director, with cinematography by Karthik CS, editing by Joshua George John, and a musical score by Bhavya Thacker.
Speaking about what inspired Chingam and the journey of bringing it to life, director Abhay Sharma shared:
“I grew up where the mountains hold secrets, and people carry them quietly for a lifetime. Chingam is my attempt to capture that stillness – the ache of first love, the weight of unrealized dreams, and the pull of returning to the place you once left behind.”
Published – September 16, 2025 04:18 pm IST
