‘Hope our people back us’: Sikkim filmmaker Tribeny Rai ahead of India-Nepal release of ‘Shape of Momo’

After earning praise at film festivals across India and overseas, Sikkim filmmaker Tribeny Rai says the upcoming theatrical release of her film Shape of Momo feels like the most emotional stage of the journey so far.

 

The film is set to release across India and Nepal on May 29, marking its first large-scale interaction with audiences from the region that inspired its story. While the movie has already travelled through several international and domestic festival circuits and picked up recognition along the way, Rai admitted that facing viewers at home brings a different kind of pressure.

 

“We have showcased the film in India and abroad, and we have had a very successful run. But of course, when it comes to home ground, one gets nervous because the story is about our people and our place,” she said.

 

Rai said the response from festival audiences gave the team confidence, but she remains particularly anxious about how people from Sikkim and the Himalayan belt will react to the film’s portrayal of family life, relationships and social realities rooted in the region.

The filmmaker also appealed to audiences to support the project when it arrives in theatres later this month.

 

“Our film is releasing on May 29 in India and Nepal. Please show some love because we have worked really hard to put it out there,” she said.

 

According to Rai, the film has also begun receiving backing from media collaborators based in Mumbai as the release date approaches. Still, she said local support remains especially meaningful.

 

“I hope our people back us, too,” she added.

 

Speaking about the story, Rai described Shape of Momo as a personal and emotionally grounded film centred on a woman returning to her village after years of living in the city. Through that journey, the narrative explores changing family dynamics, village life and emotional connections with moments of humour woven throughout.

 

“At the heart of it, it is about a woman like me who comes back to her village after living in the city for a long time,” Rai said.

 

She added that the film includes strong intergenerational relationships, including what she called a “very funny grandmother”, alongside the bond shared between sisters. Rai said the film was created with family audiences in mind and hoped viewers would experience it together.

 

“I think it’s a great family film. You should go and watch it with the whole family,” she said.

 

Beyond entertainment, the filmmaker said she hopes the movie leaves audiences reflecting on their own lives and relationships after they leave the theatre.

 

“Whenever I watch good films, they make me reflect. I hope after the audience watches the film, they will have something to reflect upon and that it stays with them for a few more days,” Rai said.