In a village that seems conjured from the pages of a storybook, an elderly woman prepares for her son’s visit during an auspicious festival. Beside her is Balamma, her spirited, sharp-tongued househelp of many years, who is busily attending to the preparations as the village hums with life around them. But when news arrives that her son’s trip has been cancelled, the woman’s heart grows heavy. With Balamma’s alcoholic husband visiting her own home, she finds herself returning to the matriarch’s house, seeking refuge and solace.
Raman Nimmala’s O’Sey Balamma is a warm, humorous, and deeply felt ode to two women who discover in each other what the world has withheld from them—companionship and the grace of being truly seen. Bathed in sumptuous colour and brimming with the warmth of village life, the film tenderly illuminates the weight women carry and the unexpected friendships that make it bearable.
Raman Nimmala
Raman Nimmala is a New York and India-based filmmaker whose work explores the intersection of plural cultural and social identities. A Columbia University MFA graduate, Raman made his directorial debut with O’Sey Balamma, which world premiered at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival. As a producer, his credits include Rainbow Girls (NewFest Grand Jury Award winner, Iris Prize finalist), alongside films screened at HollyShorts, Frameline, and the Bushwick Film Festival. He previously worked in theatrical distribution and marketing at Variance Films.
