After ‘Kishmish’, Director Rahool Mukherjee Ready with Another Tale of Love, ‘Dilkhush’

Editor’s Note (Archival Restoration): This article was originally published by The Optimist News on June 20, 2022, covering the announcement and mahurat of the Bengali feature film Dilkhush. As part of our platform restoration initiative, this report has been verified and restored to our active public record to preserve our entertainment journalism archive.

Director Rahool Mukherjee is enjoying the widespread success of his Bengali film Kishmish, but that does not mean he is willing to take a break. Starting June 30, 2022, the young director is set to go on the floors with his next directorial venture, Dilkhush.

Bankrolled by SVF, the Bengali feature film stars an ensemble cast including Madhumita Sarcar, Paran Bandopadhyay, Anusuya Mazumder, Kharaj Mukherjee, Aparajita Adhya, Ananya Sen, Soham Majumdar, Ujan Chatterjee, and Anjana Basu.

A Tale of Eight Lives and Artificial Intelligence

Unlike conventional romantic dramas, Dilkhush is a tale of eight different people from diverse sections of society who find love with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

“Dilkhush is nothing but the tales of our lives that we visualize every day, everywhere,” said director Rahool Mukherjee during the film’s official announcement. “It is a story of eight different people from different sections of the society. The common thread is that of melancholy. In this story, with the help of Artificial Intelligence, they will find love. But in every fairytale, with the good comes the grim. Yet, as the name of the film suggests, it will leave audiences with an aftertaste of the sweetness of love.”

The integration of artificial intelligence into human relationships reflects broader technological shifts across industries, similar to how digital models are reshaping modern AI-powered business courses at top technical institutes and digital finance platforms across India.

Reunited Creative Team: DoP Modhura Palit and Nilayan Chatterjee

For Dilkhush, Rahool Mukherjee has reunited with key creative collaborators from Kishmish. Acclaimed cinematographer Modhura Palit returns to lead the cinematography department as Director of Photography (DoP), alongside music director Nilayan Chatterjee.

Modhura Palit, an alumna of the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI), holds the distinction of being the first Indian cinematographer to receive the prestigious Pierre Angénieux ExcelLens award at the Cannes Film Festival.

In Dilkhush, lead actress Madhumita Sarcar pairs up for the first time with Soham Majumdar, known for his performance in Brahma Janen Gopon Kommoti.

The film’s official mahurat took place at the SVF office in Kolkata, marking the commencement of production for the project.

2026 Retrospective: The Impact of ‘Dilkhush’ and Modhura Palit’s Legacy

Following its 2022 announcement, Dilkhush successfully hit theaters in January 2023, earning widespread praise for its unique narrative structure and visual aesthetics crafted by Modhura Palit.

Since Dilkhush, DoP Modhura Palit has continued to shatter glass ceilings in Indian cinema:

• International Acclaim: Her work on Amar Colony won the Special Jury Prize at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, while Bahadur: The Brave won top honors at the San Sebastián International Film Festival.
• National Honors: In 2024, Palit was awarded the Sera Bangali Award for Cinema presented by ABP Ananda, cementing her position as one of India’s leading cinematographers.
• Expanding Horizons: Palit has continued her collaboration with director Rahool Mukherjee on subsequent projects, alongside shooting major mainstream features like Srijit Mukherji’s Tekka and Netflix series like Kurukshetra.

Much like other trailblazing women covered across our platform—such as our features on women leaders in STEM and young women entrepreneurs reshaping industries—Modhura Palit’s career serves as a powerful testament to breaking technical barriers in film and media.