A British artist-activist, a game designer, and a queer farmer in India create a survival game, only to face the brutal realities of climate change, corporate greed, and identity. As life imitates play, winning demands sacrifices they never anticipated.
SYNOPSIS
Disruption follows three unlikely allies—Charley, a British artist-activist; Nidhi, a pragmatic board game designer; and Amarjit, a queer farmer in Punjab—whose mission to create a board game about survival turns into a stark confrontation with reality.
Charley’s game, Disruption: Battle for the Future of Food, pits farmers against corporations but lacks the urgency of real struggle. Seeking authenticity, Charley travels to India to collaborate with Nidhi. There, they meet Amarjit, whose life reflects the game’s stakes: her father died from pesticide poisoning, yet she must still use chemicals to keep her crops alive. Without her land, marriage is her only security.
As Charley and Amarjit grow close, the project falters, frustrating Nidhi. When she translates Amarjit’s reality into the game, a harsh truth emerges—the farmer always loses. The game finally works, but at what cost? Charley is horrified: was Disruption meant to inspire resistance or confirm defeat?
Meanwhile, Amarjit’s struggles intensify—debt, failing crops, family pressure. A Canadian visa could offer escape, but only if she exploits her land for profit. Charley and Amarjit’s struggles mirror each other—both trapped, both yearning for freedom.
When the final game plays out, Amarjit must choose: fight for her land or play to win?
Director Statement
In 2021, as farmers in India protested against corporate control of agriculture, I saw my grandfather in every Sikh farmer fighting for dignity, identity, and survival. He never recovered from losing his ancestral farmland during Partition, and in his final days, dementia left him only the memory of being one with his land. That journey of loss and resistance led me to Disruption, the second part of my trilogy. The first film, Against the Tide, examined fishermen and the sea; this one explores farmers and the earth. The final chapter will focus on air, each film addressing the question: How much do we need to be happy? The main premise of Disruption is the same as Against the Tide - the relationship between man and nature. When nature tends to withdraw its kind approval; human existence seems fragile - Modernity, urbanity, technology, and even the deepest friendships quiver as the countdown for a looming natural disaster driven by climate change becomes an ordained task. My filmic journey is prompting me to reflect on my own existence in this natural world - to take a skeptical stance towards the ‘grand narratives’ of modernism and ‘Scientific Certainties’ - to tell stories that speak of the predicament of being human in our times.
Supporter Statement
Having witnessed Sarvnik’s creative journey, we are moved by the authenticity and urgency of her narratives. Her work amplifies marginalized voices, encouraging us to investigate, question and act.
Rejecting simplistic binaries of tradition and modernity, her films depict ecosystems shaped by protagonists navigating corporate greed and climate change. Her portrayal of Amarjit’s story courageously explores the struggles of Indian farmers caught between climate action and corporate interests. Amarjit’s spirit challenges patriarchy, redefining identity and celebrating individuality beyond tradition.
Sarvnik’s storytelling is lyrical and sharp, blending poetic, political, and personal layers. Her trust in her protagonists results in raw, unvarnished stories that resonate deeply. This film honors farmers’ resilience, drawing hope from Amarjit’s bravery. It’s a tribute to those who turn small chances into victories, challenging norms and pursuing justice for themselves and their communities.
ABOUT FILMMAKER(S)
Director Sarvnik Kaur
Sarvnik Kaur is a documentary filmmaker whose solo directorial debut ‘Against the Tide’ premiered at Sundance 2023 where she bagged the Special Jury Award for Verite Filmmaking. The film since then has won more than 36 awards including the Grand Jury at the Seattle International, Best Film at IceDocs, Golden Gateway Award for best film at MaMi Mumbai, Best Film at Asia Pacific Screen Awards and many more. Nominated as Best Doc at the Gotham Awards, IDA Awards as well as Cinema Eye Honors, Against the Tide has been distributed in over 20 countries with broadcasts on PoV (US), France TV, BBC Storyville (UK), Mubi (India), RTS (Switzerland).
Nominated as the Best Director at the 39th IDA Awards, Sarvnik is a HotDocs, Chicken & Eggs Eggcelerator lab and IDFA Academy fellow. Made of moments that hide anxiety and conflict just beneath the surface of the normal and the mundane, her work speaks of the predicament of being human in our times.
Producer Apoorva Bakshi
Apoorva Bakshi is an International Emmy Award-winning producer renowned for Netflix’s hit series Delhi Crime and acclaimed documentary series The Hunt for Veerappan. Her celebrated films include National Award-winners Shut Up Sona and Leeches, the Netflix musical What Are The Odds?, and widely loved WOMB (Women of My Billion), streaming globally on Prime Video.
Her latest co-productions feature the Oscar-shortlisted and Annecy favorite The Glassworker (2025), SXSW-premiered Urdu feature Wakhri - One of a Kind (2024), TIFF-premiered Kazakh film Madina (2023), and Tribeca-selected short Jooyein (2024). Upcoming titles include Bengali film About an Intimate Matter!, an environmental documentary short This Tree Won’t Fall, and the highly anticipated third season of Delhi Crime.
Apoorva, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Golden Karavan, Awedacious Originals, and Project FUEL, is a skilled story engineer passionately championing independent and diverse voices through genre-defying films, series, and adaptations. Prior to, founding her own banners, Apoorva has also successfully acquired and distributed over 50+ award-winning independents. And worked at Sony Pictures Entertainment Networks Asia on large-scale format productions AMAZING RACE ASIA, CYRIL SIMPLY MAGIC & INDIA'S MINUTE TO WIN IT.
Having navigated both the creative and business aspects of entertainment, Apoorva continuously innovates, merging artistic vision with commercial viability. She has also served on multiple international juries, including the IDA. Apoorva shuttles between SFO & Mumbai and loves to backpack the world when she is not up in the air.
Monisha Thyagarajan is a creative producer, notably recognized as a BAFTA Breakthrough ’24 recipient for producing the award winning and critically acclaimed Netflix true crime doc series The Hunt for Veerappan under her banner Awedacious Originals.
The production company, co-founded with Emmy award winning producer Apoorva Bakshi, was born out of a shared dream to produce awe-inspiring and audacious stories in collaboration with fearless filmmakers. Additional titles produced under the banner include award winning gender impact documentary WOMB - Women of My Billion on Prime Video. Co-productions include South Asian hand drawn marvel, Pakistan’s official submission to Oscars 2025 The Glassworker (2025); Wakhri, which premiered at SXSW (2024) and Red Sea International Film Festival(2023); a Kazakh feature film Madina wihch premiered at Tokyo International Film Festival (2023), and the upcoming feature film About an Intimate Matter (slated for a 2025 festival premiere). Short films including Tribeca (2024) favourite Jooyein and the upcoming This Tree won’t Fall (2025).
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