I, Poppy

In rural India, a son challenges corrupt officials while his mother works their poppy farm. As authorities retaliate against their lower-caste family, survival collides with resistance. Filmed over five years, I, Poppy traces diverging moral paths, revealing the human cost of choosing between daily survival and the pursuit of justice.

Vivek Chaudhary: ‘My family comes from the state of Rajasthan, where opium cultivation and use have continued for over five centuries. My fascination with the poppy plant, along with my disgust at the bureaucracy that oppresses both the plant and the people, made me want to make this film. As an artist, I also wanted to realise it in a deeply felt yet highly aesthetic way. This defined the film’s approach and explains why it took about eight years from research to completion. It has been a beautiful, arduous journey that has truly helped me come into my own as a filmmaker.’