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Gujarati film 'Jai Mata Ji– Let’s Rock' about a 'thug life' granny to premiere at Leicester Indian Film Festival

The riotous comedy leads a diverse line-up exploring love, rebellion, and unheard Indian stories.

'Jai Mata Ji– Let’s Rock'

Jai Mata Ji – Let’s Rock is set to open the Leicester Indian Film Festival with its bold and unconventional take on old age

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Pooja Pillai
By Pooja PillaiApr 29, 2025
Pooja Pillai
Pooja was born in Kochi and raised on a mix of newspapers, pop culture, and too many questions. She studied Communicative English and Journalism before earning her Master’s in Journalism from Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, and began her career interning at The Times of India and Channel I'M — where she later became a news anchor, scripting and presenting her own stories. Between deadlines, she’s worked across digital media platforms, covering politics, gender, pop culture, cinema, and everything in between. She has interviewed actors, creators, and changemakers, and occasionally edits her own video content — thanks to being certified in Photoshop and InDesign. In 2025, she joined the Asian Media Group in her first “official” newsroom gig, where she now covers entertainment, lifestyle, and the layered realities of South Asian identity. She believes storytelling should feel personal — even when it’s public — and likes to write not to please, but to provoke, question, and occasionally stir the pot.
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A Gujarati comedy about an elderly woman who rewrites the rules of old age is all set to make its world premiere at the Leicester Indian Film Festival this May. Jai Mata Ji – Let’s Rock will open at the Phoenix cinema and is expected to be one of the standout titles at this year’s festival.

The film follows an 80-year-old grandmother who unexpectedly wins a fortune and is faced with a wild choice: whether to seek revenge, fall in love, indulge in luxury, or embrace a no-holds-barred lifestyle she calls her “thug life.” The movie’s fresh take on ageing, autonomy, and joy is expected to strike a chord with audiences looking for unconventional heroes. This isn’t a quiet story of retirement but about celebrating second chances and unapologetic living.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com


This year’s festival brings together six films from India that explore themes of identity, belonging, and the search for freedom. One of the most anticipated is We Are Faheem & Karun, a same-sex love story that was initially banned by India’s Ministry of Defence. The film explores the quiet intimacy and tension between two men navigating their bond in a world that refuses to acknowledge them. Director Onir James will attend the Leicester screening for a live discussion after the film.

Other entries include a colonial-era documentary about Indian laundry workers enslaved by the Dutch, a Himalayan journey of self-discovery, a road trip between a father and son trying to reconnect, and a delicate animated feature about a family of glassblowers. But it’s Jai Mata Ji that breaks away with its sharp humour and the rare portrayal of an older woman as the strong, unpredictable heart of a story.

'Jai Mata Ji\u2013 Let\u2019s Rock' Jai Mata Ji – Let’s Rock, where the feisty grandmother embraces her unexpected windfall with flairYoutube

The Leicester Indian Film Festival runs from 8 to 11 May at Phoenix cinema, bringing powerful, personal stories to the big screen. It’s not just about watching films but about hearing voices that are too often left out.

director onir jameselderly womangujarati comedyleicester indian film festivalthug lifeworld premierejai mata ji– let’s rock

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