Allo Neredallo
Short Fiction | Writer, Director, Producer | 2025
Genre: Drama
Duration: 25Mins
Language: Telugu
Cast & Crew :
Written & Directed by - Smaran
Guided by -Shilpa Das
Cast
Suresh - Shashank
Ganga - Devi Harshini
Crew
Cinematography - Varun Jinka
Editing - Vuppuganti Raghavender
Sound Recording & Designer - K Bujanga Rao
Production Designer - Abhilash Khadire
Logline :
A playful mishap between Ganga and Suresh unravels their journey into adolescence and the challenges of societal expectations.
Synopsis :
Allo Neredallo is a story of Ganga and Suresh, two close friends growing up in a village, where their days are filled with play and dreams. But things change when Ganga tells Suresh she is leaving for the city to study. He doesn’t know how to deal with it. During a playful moment, Suresh accidentally hurts her. Seeing blood on her clothes, he thinks it’s his fault, not knowing she’s had her first period. Ganga is then kept in isolation due to a traditional ritual. Suresh is confused and upset, and his efforts to reach her fail. Confused and burdened with guilt, Suresh learns from his mother what menstruation means, while Ganga is told that this marks the beginning of adulthood and marriage. While both try to understand what’s happening, the world around them begins to feel unfamiliar, leaving their friendship tested by silence, distance, and the pressure of growing up.
Allo Neredallo is a 25-minute short in Telugu (a Native South Indian language), and was supported by the Ford Foundation Grant. It was shot over four days in a small village in Telangana, India. The film is deeply personal, and I worked closely with local communities to bring more authenticity to the narrative.
It has been officially selected in the International Competition of the 48th Poitiers Film Festival in France. Out of 1521 films submitted from around the world, Allo Neredallo is among the 40 selected student films, and it is the only film representing India in this prestigious edition.
The film delves into patriarchy in women, cultural rituals and taboos surrounding menstruation, and societal expectations placed on young children. It’s a quiet, intimate film that explores adolescence, friendship, and how traditional customs shape young minds, particularly through the lens of menstruation-related taboos.
Trailer
Stills
Director Statement :
Allo Neredallo is rooted in the quiet complexities of my childhood in rural Telangana, where emotions often lived in silence, in glances, pauses, and unspoken traditions. This film comes from that space, drawn from memories of growing up surrounded by rituals that shaped us before we understood them. The story follows Suresh and Ganga as they confront a shift in body, friendship, and the world around them. It’s a tender look at how innocence meets tradition, not with rebellion, but with quiet confusion and emotional weight. Suresh is a reflection of who I was, sensitive, and watching everything. Ganga is every girl I knew who was expected to grow up overnight. With a team that includes local collaborators and a strong presence of women, including my mentor, this film is an intimate return to a world I know deeply.
Director's Biography :
Smaran is an independent filmmaker from Hyderabad, Telangana, India. He has completed his Master’s in Film and Video Communication at the National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad. His graduation film, Allo Neredallo (2025), a short fiction film, is supported by the Ford Foundation Grant. His filmmaking journey began with an undying interest in narration, which initially found expression through photography and has since evolved into films. His storytelling is deeply influenced by the nuances of the ordinary, the small, delicate moments that often go unnoticed. His cinematic gaze is rooted in the culture he comes from, shaping his sensitivity towards the stories he tells.
“Allo Neredallo” Meaning :
Allo Neredallo doesn’t have a direct meaning. It’s a phrase from a folk song that’s sung during puberty rituals and a few other village gatherings in Telangana and nearby regions. Farmers would often sing while working in the fields, making songs from what they saw around them, such as trees, fruits, the sky, and simple everyday things. Alla Neredu is the name of the plum tree in our region, and over time, Allo Neredallo became a playful refrain in these songs, something that would start each line. To me, the phrase carries a rawness and purity that perfectly mirrors the characters in the film and its cultural significance. Even though it doesn’t have a literal meaning, it carries the sound, the spirit, and the life of the place I come from. That’s why I chose it.
