Vikramaditya Motwane Joins Creative Team โคBehind Coming-of-Age Comedy ‘TeacherS Pet’
Mumbai, India – Filmmaker Vikramaditya Motwane has joinedโข the production of “Teacher’s Pet,” a coming-of-age comedy poised to explore global themesโฃ of adolescence through an Indian lens.the project, โขa collaboration between Lambe Log Productions and Dwivedi’s Smallโข Town Gurl Productions, is currently seeking global partners to finalize โfinancing and distribution.
“Teacher’sโ Pet” centers โon Rinky, a high-achieving student whose ambition to become head girl is challenged when she finds herself in competition with her former best friend. The story unfolds as a โขjourney through identity, friendship, and the complexities of growingโ up.
The creativeโ team, working across the India-U.S. divide, is driven by a desire to broaden representation in coming-of-age narratives. “We are committed to telling Indian stories for the world. ‘Teacher’s Pet’ lets us do exactly that,as we explore the chaos of teenage life,” says Aishwarya Sonar of Lambe Log Productions,whose previous workโฃ includes โฃthe โคshort films “Yakshi” (starring Babil Khan and Anna Ben) and “Hema” (starring Rajshri Deshpande). “We grewโ up searching for ourselves in coming-of-age stories about white โขgirls.With this,we’re working towardsโข being part of that change,not just for โขrepresentation’s sake,but also to showcase the vibrant universe of indian comedies,whichโ are rare on global screens.”
Financing for theโ projectโฃ is being secured through private equity, international co-production partners, and non-recoupable grants, with $200,000 โalready committed. The script, developed during โDwivedi’s time atโค the americanโฃ Film Institute (AFI), has received recognition from several industry programs,โ includingโ being shortlisted for Mubi’s Cannesโ W Scriptedโข program, reaching โขthe semi-finalist stage โofโข the Emerging Screenwriters Comedy Competition,โข and winning the IFFLA Pitch Competition in 2024. It also participated in Tasveer’s Producers Lab and was showcased at IFFLA, CineV, and the Co-Production Market at WAVES Film Bazaar โ2025.
Production is slated to begin in December โข2026 in Madhya Pradesh, India.Director Shalini Murthy’s previous work includesโ the Kannada-language feature “Aachar & Co.” and the โdocumentaryโ series “Jeevalahari” (Doordarshan), with her latest feature, “13 Days,” currently in post-production.
“We’re positioned to deliver: our directorโ sold her โฃdebut to Amazon Studios, andโ our EP is behind many successful Indian titles,” Sonar added. “We’re now seekingโข globalโ partners to help bring this story to screens worldwide.”
