Connecticut Maharashtra Mandal, a not-for-profit organization, is hosting the screening of an award-winning movie at Edmond Town Hall on Sunday, April 26.

The film, called Astu (“So Be It”), will begin at 2:30 pm. The Indian film has English subtitles.

Tickets  are $10.

In addition to the screening, the film’s lead actor, Dr Mohan Agashe, will be in attendance on Sunday. Dr Agashe, an actor and trained psychiatrist, will participate in a post-screening discussion with the audience.

In Astu, a renowned scholar of ancient scriptures suffering from Alzheimer’s goes missing from his daughter’s car and everyone is busy looking for him.

Directors Sumitra Bhave and Sunil Sukthankar are well known names in the meaningful and realistic genre of Indian cinema and have films like Dahavi Pha and Devrai to their credit. Their latest film, Astu, revolves around the life of Professor Chakrapani Shastri (Dr Agashe).

A former director of an Oriental Research Institute in Pune, Prof Shastri is leading a solitary life after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. On way to the home of his daughter Ira (Iravati Harshe), Shastri goes missing as he follows an elephant and reaches the home of the elephant’s caregiver, or mahout, in the process.

Ira comes back and finds her father missing from the car. Moreover, because Shastri cannot recall anything, the mahout too cannot help him even if he wants to.

Shastri seeks refuge in the Sanskrit verses that he keeps chanting and his bond with the elephant, named Lakshmi, as well as the mahout’s wife Chanamma (Amruta Subhash), who he addresses to as his mother.

Of the film, the Times of India wrote in part that “Astu might have a disorder like Alzheimer’s at its center but the film is much more than just that. It is a scholar’s struggle to recall his memories, a daughter’s struggle to find her missing father and her recollection of happier times, the scholar’s relation with the elephant and his affection towards Chanamma. The depiction of Shastri’s state of mind is as realistic as it can get and there is no exaggeration there.”

The newspaper also compliment’s Agashe’s portrayal of the lead character, saying “There could not have been anyone more perfectly fitted for the role than him. He brings authenticity to the role with his flawless expressions that make you sympathize with the character and also understand his inner conflicts.>

Released in 2013, the film has a running time of 123 minutes.

The program will be in the Alexandria Room of the former town hall building, at 45 Main Street in Newtown.

For additional information call 203-644-3179.