Harshith Kotni

Dreamline, my NYU thesis film, reflects my growth as a filmmaker and the stories I aim to tell. I’m passionate about representing South Asians in the Western world. While films like Crazy Rich Asians celebrate Southeast Asia, South Asians are still underrepresented. My goal is to be the South Asian filmmaker who creates a transformative impact, much like Spike Lee did for his community. I want to showcase the people I grew up with and the full spectrum of the Indian experience—messy, funny, and downright badass—bringing authentic, vibrant South Asian stories to the forefront of cinema.

When a perfectionist teenage Bharatanatyam dancer is denied her Arangatram (recital), she must realize that impeccable technique alone is insufficient, for only a lesson in gratitude and a reevaluation of her relationship with her mother will bring her dance to new heights.