Meneka Das’s independent film Little Box of Sweets will get its London premiere next week at the prestigious Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA).

Written and directed by Ms Das, who has worked as a actress and singer, this is a gentle coming of age tale set near the city of Allahabad, in Northern India amongst of the Indian Christian community.

Asha (Das), a servant girl lives a simple existence with little thought for the world beyond her family, her village and her best friend Lalli (Sheenu Das), until she meets her childhood friend, Seth, (Joe Anderson), now a handsome young medical student.

The son of an Indian commissioner, Seth is well-traveled and highly educated - he shares Asha’s love of literature and awakens aspirations in Asha for a better future.

Meanwhile, Seth’s parents, Dev (Rahul Vohra) and Sheila (Helena Michell), want him to marry someone more suitable while Asha’s grandmother, Nanni (Mohini Mathur), is arranging her marriage to an eligible banker.

Meneka Das wrote the script, but it was sister, Sheenu who set about raising finance from independent investors. The sisters say that investors wanted them to include a “Bollywood song and dance number”, but they stuck to their guns.

To finish raising the funding, Sheenu sold her own house to raise the money and start shooting.

Press Screening: Friday 8 August 2pm
Normal viewing: Fri 15 August - Thurs 28 August
www.ica.org.uk