Nightingales in the Cocoon(2023)

Storyline

A couple moves from a slum to a nicer city neighborhood, leaving their old life behind. Their two children find a thrown-away keyboard, which brings them new happiness. In a city of sharp contrasts, they discover that old, abandoned dreams can find a new voice.

“From slums to skyscrapers, a forgotten keyboard sparks new life.”

Vibe & Tags

Cast & Crew

Trivia

• The film's title is a metaphor for the children's hidden talents, inspired by the director's own childhood memory of finding a broken toy piano.
• Most of the Dharavi slum scenes were shot using only natural light to capture authentic textures and moods.
• The young actors who played the children had never seen a keyboard before filming and learned basic notes during rehearsals.
• A real discarded keyboard found in a Mumbai junkyard was used as the main prop for the film.
• The movie had a very small theatrical release but gained attention through film festival circuits in South India.
• Director Praveen Giri wrote the script based on observations of children playing in his neighborhood in Navi Mumbai.
• The film's soundtrack uses minimal instrumentation, focusing on the sounds of the urban environment and the children's keyboard.