Bengaluru, India, June 20, 2025 –(CarryOnHarry.com)– The Story Behind Chhoti Baarish Chhoti Baarish was born from a moment of quiet beauty — a young child from a slum staring longingly at the falling rain, caught between wonder and restraint. This fleeting image became the soul of a film that questions when society taught us to suppress our innate joy and expression. It speaks of innocence lost and the silent pressures that stifle our emotional freedom.
Despite its simplicity, making the film came with major challenges. Shot over four days instead of the planned two, the production struggled with unpredictable weather conditions essential to the narrative. The budget nearly doubled due to delays in capturing specific natural light and rain sequences. The film’s five-minute musical montage, edited by the film’s composer Saikat, used over 100 precisely timed clips, showcasing intense artistic commitment.
With minimal funding and no studio backing, Saha relied on sheer passion and a talented circle of collaborators — including a skilled cinematographer and veteran Bangalore-based theatre actors — many of whom worked without pay. The project took nearly two years to complete, balancing tight resources with creative perseverance.
Recognition & Impact Chhoti Baarish has resonated with both young and adult audiences due to its universal theme — the beauty of small joys in everyday life. Through its nuanced storytelling, the film strikes a chord across cultures and age groups, offering an emotionally rich viewing experience that reflects on the often-overlooked delights of living.
Its festival journey reflects its emotional depth and cinematic merit, garnering praise from critics and viewers alike. The film’s success also highlights the importance of meticulous pre-production and a solid script — values that Saha holds at the core of his creative process.
Meet the Filmmaker: Ritopriyo Saha Ritopriyo Saha, the mind behind Chhoti Baarish, is a Kolkata-born filmmaker and multidisciplinary artist now based in Bangalore. His creative journey began in the early 2000s as a visual artist. He later founded Trippink, a Tattoo, Art & Music Studio in Koramangala, which evolved into a vibrant community of over 1,000 artists, hosting weekly music and art jam sessions.
Saha’s artistic pursuits span painting, sculpture, theatre, writing, music, and filmmaking. He writes film scripts, short stories, poetry, and composes original instrumental piano music. His independent short films have earned international acclaim and selections in several top-tier festivals. His progressive approach to storytelling and art was recently covered in the Times of India.
Feature Film Projects on Offer At BSFF-25’s Film Market, Saha is pitching three high-concept, emotionally rooted feature film scripts. All three are fully developed, market-ready, and adaptable for short format or web-series production based on budget and platform needs.
1. Moh Maya Mukti Genre: Action-Adventure Fantasy | Theme: Migration & Material Illusion A dark, anime-inspired musical about a warrior girl, Maya, fighting demons through a mystical forest. The story is a metaphor for modern migrants, who abandon their roots in pursuit of “golden feathers.” Inspired by: Dancer in the Dark, Emilia Perez, Climax Why It Works: Visually striking, globally relevant, and rich in festival and merchandising potential.
2. Teen Yaari (Three Wild Kids) Genre: Coming-of-Age Drama | Theme: Teenage rebellion & friendship Three emotionally scarred teenagers flee their village homes and confront the harsh realities of a chaotic urban world. Inspired by: Iranian masters like Abbas Kiarostami, Asghar Farhadi, and Jafar Panahi Why It Works: A moving portrayal of youth and resilience; family-friendly, relatable across generations, perfect for OTT platforms.
3. May I Love U? Genre: Sci-Fi Romance | Theme: Loneliness, motherhood & human-AI connection A single mother, emotionally distant from her teenage daughter, finds unexpected love in an AI humanoid that mimics human emotion and presence. Inspired by: Her (Spike Jonze), Black Mirror Why It Works: A timely, emotionally resonant story with broad commercial and global appeal. Visually contemporary and perfect for theatrical or streaming release.
Vision & Collaboration Goals Saha is currently seeking:
1. Independent producers and financiers with a ₹1 crore budget (~$120K) for a high-quality feature film, inclusive of PR and distribution. 2. Creative producers and executive producers to assist with budgeting, financial planning, and production execution. 3. Collaborators and co-producers who believe in emotionally charged, original Indian narratives with global sensibility.
Each script is complete, and Saha is open to flexible collaborations — including series development, co-productions, and short-format adaptations depending on the funding landscape.
Connect with the Filmmaker Ritopriyo Saha invites fellow filmmakers, producers, and festival participants to connect during BSFF-25 and explore future collaborations. Saha closes his pitch with a message of unity: “Let’s keep bringing out amazing stories for our world together.”
Contact: Ritopriyo Saha Writer | Director | Storyteller Company: Trippink Talkies Location: Bengaluru, India Email: trippinktalkies@gmail.com Phone: +91 9748298107
Miami, FL, November 10, 2025 –(CarryOnHarry.com)– The production team behind Hidden War has unveiled the official trailer for the film, setting the stage for its nationwide theatrical debut on November 14, 2025.
Hidden War, featuring activist Tim Ballard’s efforts against international child trafficking, serves as a direct follow-up to the 2023 film Sound of Freedom, which highlighted his initial undercover operations through Operation Underground Railroad (O.U.R.). While Sound of Freedom focused on Ballard’s work in Colombia and the broader fight against sex trafficking, Hidden War extends this narrative to operations in war-torn regions like Ukraine, Ecuador, and Mexico, documenting rescues amid global conflicts and exposing how displaced children become targets for exploitation.
The film’s release on November 14, 2025, comes amid reports of resistance from some cinema chains, echoing the grassroots momentum that propelled Sound of Freedom to over $250 million in worldwide box office success despite initial distribution challenges. Ballard, portrayed by Jim Caviezel in the earlier film, continues his advocacy, emphasizing the ongoing scale of the issue where more children are enslaved today than at any point in history.
Tim Ballard noted, “Films like Hidden War build on the awareness raised by Sound of Freedom to challenge institutional silence on child exploitation. Our goal remains delivering these stories to foster real change in communities affected by trafficking.”
To support wider access, audiences are encouraged to contact their local cinemas and request screenings of Hidden War for the November 14 debut.
Key Details
Theatrical release date: November 14, 2025
Rating: PG-13
About Hidden War Hidden War chronicles real-life anti-trafficking missions led by Tim Ballard, expanding on themes from Sound of Freedom to address global hotspots of child exploitation.
Los Angeles, CA, October 31, 2025 –(CarryOnHarry.com)– Independent filmmaker, producer, and creative visionary Jeffrey Ikahn today announced the upcoming release of his new feature film Candy Flip (2026), alongside several technology ventures designed to reshape how audiences and creators connect online. Ikahn’s dual focus on storytelling and innovation positions him at the intersection of film, social engagement, and the evolving digital frontier.
Candy Flip is a “dramady” feature produced through Argonaut Media Group, Latigo Films in association with Handshake Partners Entertainment and directed by Ikahn.
The film stars Matt Rife, Cole Carter, Jessica Belkin, and Danielle Loving.
Set amid the electric chaos of an exclusive influencer party in Los Angeles, Candy Flip follows a night where fame, illusion, and reality collide. When a group of social media stars and creative elites experiment with a candy-flip — the potent fusion of LSD and MDMA — their euphoric escape turns into an existential free fall. As the night unfolds, filters fade and facades fracture. Beneath the glitter and neon, each character confronts the truth they’ve been performing to avoid: their doubt, loneliness, and desperate need to be seen.
The main character’s trip becomes a descent into self-awareness — a fever dream of memories, fears, and fantasies colliding in hallucinatory clarity. Surrounded by peers who live for attention but starve for connection, they begin to question what’s real, what’s curated, and what remains when the likes disappear. In the chaos of their shared unraveling, egos dissolve, alliances crumble, and a profound realization emerges: sometimes, you have to lose your identity to find your humanity.
“Storytelling has always been about connection,” said Ikahn. “As technology evolves, so should the ways we share those stories — whether through film, social platforms, or entirely new mediums.”
In addition to his filmmaking career, Ikahn is currently building technology companies in the social and media space, developing platforms that empower independent artists, creators, and filmmakers to grow authentic audiences and monetize their creative influence. His work integrates art, entrepreneurship, and innovation — shaping how culture, content, and connection intersect.
Ikahn’s mission with Argonaut Media Group and his upcoming ventures is to bridge the worlds of entertainment and technology — empowering creators to tell impactful stories and audiences to experience them in transformative new ways.
About Jeffrey Ikahn Jeffrey Ikahn is a Los Angeles-based filmmaker, producer, and tech entrepreneur. Through Argonaut Media Group, he develops films and social-tech initiatives that challenge perspectives and inspire global creativity. His works include Candy Flip (2026), My Confession (2007), and upcoming technology ventures redefining creator engagement in the digital era.
