A Tailored New Start: ‘Designed By Preeti’ Brings Powerful Story of Resilience to Festival Circuit
- The independent film, by critically acclaimed director Gayatri Everitt Bajpai, tackles domestic violence through lens of South Asian immigrant experience.
When filmmaker Gayatri Everitt Bajpai set out to tell the story of a middle-aged Indian woman escaping an abusive marriage, she knew she was tackling sensitive territory. Her latest film, “Designed By Preeti,” doesn’t shy away from difficult themes, instead weaving them into what critics are calling a compelling romantic drama that speaks to the broader immigrant experience.
The film follows a courageous woman who leaves her abusive husband, builds a successful career, and finds love where she least expects it. The film stars Rashmi Rustagi (who is also the writer and producer), Anna Khaja, Jackie Dallas, Sangeeta Agrawal, and Ranjita Chakravarty. At its heart is Preeti Kumar, a resilient woman in her 50s who courageously escapes an oppressive and unfaithful marriage, using her talent for design and tailoring to build a new life.
“My transition into writing and producing has been fueled by a desire to create short films that promote social change,” says Rustagi, whose arranged marriage at twenty-one, eventually led her to the diverse landscape of the United States, and “gaining a deep understanding of the complexities and challenges of assimilation.”
“These experiences have profoundly shaped “Designed by Preeti,” she says.
The film has been gaining recognition on the festival circuit, with the film being featured among “heartfelt family-centered stories” at NoHo CineFest 2025, where Gayatri Bajpai was nominated for Best Director. Additionally, “Designed By Preeti” was selected as a finalist for Best Feature Film at the 2025 Sundar Prize Film Festival.
A Director’s Vision Shaped by Community
Gayatri Bajpai, who has previously directed “Halwa” (2018) and “YATRA: The Journey” (2023), brings a deeply personal perspective to her filmmaking. Under Gayatri Bajpai’s sensitive direction, “Designed by Preeti” captures the diverse challenges, resilience, and struggles of the Indian diaspora.
The director’s approach is intentionally activist in nature. “In Designed by Preeti, we aim to amplify the voices of the marginalized, reveal obscured truths, and inspire change,” according to the film’s official description.
The director’s approach is intentionally activist in nature. “In Designed by Preeti, we aim to amplify the voices of the marginalized, reveal obscured truths, and inspire change,” according to the film’s official description.
What sets “Designed By Preeti” apart is its nuanced portrayal of cultural expectations within South Asian communities. The film explores how Preeti’s journey towards independence is met with scorn from her conservative community as her daughter Mallika struggles with the family’s changing dynamics.
The film doesn’t offer easy answers. Instead, it asks whether Preeti will be able to repair her relationship with her daughter while building her new life through what she knows best – designing and sewing clothes.
The film’s resonance extends beyond individual screenings to broader cultural conversations. The DC South Asian Festival, which runs from September 6th through various weekends in 2024, features literature, music, dance, and films, providing an ideal platform for works like “Designed By Preeti” that explore the complexities of South Asian identity in America.
The timing of the film’s release comes as conversations about domestic violence and women’s empowerment continue to gain prominence in both mainstream and diaspora communities. By centering an older woman’s journey to independence, the film challenges ageist assumptions about who can be the protagonist of their own story.
For audiences attending the DC South Asian Film Festival, “Designed By Preeti” offers both entertainment and recognition—the rare opportunity to see their own stories reflected on screen with the complexity and dignity they deserve. In an era where authentic representation remains a work in progress, Gayatri Bajpai’s film stands as both achievement and invitation for more stories yet to be told.
“Designed By Preeti” continues to screen at festivals nationwide as it builds toward wider distribution.
This story was aggregated by AI from several news reports and edited by American Kahani’s News Desk.