Madam Driver, the new featurette by Aafat-e-Ishq director Indrajit Nattoji starring acclaimed actress Kitu Gidwani (Airlift), is now streaming on Apple TV. The film also stars Ankit Siwach (120 Bahadur) and Bhavna Pani (Tezz).
Set in small-town Gujarat, Madam Driver follows Devika Dixit, a 55-year-old widow who decides to learn how to drive, gradually confronting grief, social conditioning and her own sense of self along the way.
The film was shot entirely on the iPhone over six days in Baroda. Speaking about that decision, filmmaker Indrajit Nattoji said, “The iPhone was never used as a gimmick. It allowed us to move lightly through real environments and stay close to natural performances and everyday interactions without overwhelming them. Since the film has an on-road quality to it, that fluidity became important.”
Reflecting on the film’s journey from festivals to streaming, Nattoji said, “Festival screenings are special because you experience the film collectively with a like-minded audience and feel moments of connection in real time. But streaming gives a film a quieter and longer life. With Apple TV, Madam Driver may now reach people across the world who might unexpectedly discover Devika’s journey in the intimacy of their homes.”
The film explores themes of agency, identity and late self-discovery through small internal shifts rather than dramatic transformation. “Driving in the film became symbolic of movement, confidence, fear, dependence and self-worth. A middle-aged woman learning to drive should ideally be a very normal thing, but in our society it can become emotionally loaded in surprising ways,” Nattoji said.
He added that the women in the film were inspired by many women he has encountered through his life. “Madam Driver quietly reflects the pluralistic India that I grew up in, where human connection, coexistence and everyday warmth often took precedence over identity.”
Drawing a contrast with his earlier feature Aafat-e-Ishq, Nattoji described Madam Driver as intentionally restrained and observational. “Aafat-e-Ishq was heightened, stylised and playful in its relationship with satire and exaggeration. Madam Driver moves in the opposite direction. It is less interested in spectacle and more interested in emotional recognition. In some ways, making this film felt closer to listening than directing.”
Produced under the banner of I.N.K. Pictures, Madam Driver is now streaming on Apple TV.