Paresh Rawal and Adil Hussain-starrer The Storyteller has been selected as the opening film of the London Indian Film Festival that kicks off on June 22. The drama is based on Satyajit Ray’s renowned short story Golpo Boliye Tarini Khuro. To director Ananth Narayan Mahadevan, it’s a proud addition for the movie that was selected for the Busan International Film Festival last October.

“The Storyteller has already been acclaimed at [various festivals] including Busan, Palm Springs, International Film Festival of India and International Film Festival of Kerala. It has emerged as a befitting tribute to the master, Satyajit Ray. It is a matter of pride and gratification that now Europe’s biggest indie festival has accorded it the status of the opening film,” says a delighted Mahadevan.

The Jio Studios offering, also starring Revathy and Tannishtha Chatterjee, tells the story of a wealthy businessman who hires a storyteller to help get over his insomnia. But over time, the narrator’s tales turn more intriguing. The director adds that the original short story bears Ray’s signature style — it addresses a complex issue through a simple narrative.

Mahadevan says, “The movie evokes the master’s subtle touch and harks back to the era of pure cinema.”