Tuesday, Jan 13, 2026 23:00 [IST]
Last Update: Monday, Jan 12, 2026 17:26 [IST]
GANGTOK, : Director and actress Kankana Chakraborty on Monday
announced the production of her upcoming feature film ‘The Family I Chose’,
which will be shot entirely in Sikkim. The announcement was made during a press
conference held in Gangtok, where the lead roles for the film were also
officially revealed.
Describing the film,
Chakraborty said ‘The Family I Chose’ is a drama exploring themes of grief,
redemption and human bonds that transcend blood relations and lineage. The lead
roles will be played by 12-year-old Aaradhya Rai as ‘Phul’ and seven-year-old
Aldin Rai as ‘Shyam’. Two of the supporting roles have also been finalized,
with 10-year-old Lawang Dolma Lepcha as ‘Preeti’ and 13-year-old Ismarika
Gurung as ‘Nima’.
Speaking about the casting
process, SKM culture coordinator Manoj Lama said that more than 300 auditions
were conducted to select the child actors. He added that apart from two
supporting roles, the entire cast and production team are from Sikkim. One of
the supporting roles will be played by Kolkata-based actor Barun Chandra, while
another actor from Mumbai is yet to be confirmed.
Explaining the choice of
Gangtok as the film’s central location, Chakraborty spoke of her deep personal
connection with the city, calling it her chosen home. She emphasised that
Gangtok would not merely serve as a picturesque backdrop, but as a character in
the narrative itself. “The place
has so many little shortcuts, and each lead to a particular place, I want to
make the film such that the people who watch the film can also learn about
these nooks and crannies, the people of Gangtok can recognise these shortcuts
and go ‘its our neighbourhood, its our home’”, she said.
Although the story was
conceived in Los Angeles, Chakraborty said that Gangtok was the only location
that truly suited the film’s emotional landscape. The feature film follows the
journey of an 86-year-old man and a 13-year-old girl and will be shot almost
entirely across locations in Sikkim. The film will feature a mix of Nepali,
Hindi and English.
The team expressed
appreciation for all the support they have been receiving, especially from the
government and the Chief Minister.
