The award-winning independent feature Designed by Preeti screened at The Tara Theatre in Atlanta on June 13, drawing an audience that laughed, cried, and lingered long after the credits for one of the film’s most heartfelt post-screening conversations.
Written and produced by Rashmi Rustagi, who also stars in the lead role, Designed by Preeti tells the story of a South Asian woman in her 50s who escapes an abusive marriage and rebuilds her life through her talent for design and tailoring. Inspired by the true stories of close friends and a relative, the film has earned multiple honors, including a Gold Remi Award at the Houston International Film Festival, the Best Feature Audience Award at BraveMaker Film Fest, and the Best Feature Film Award at the Red Cedar Film Festival.
The screening was followed by a panel discussion exploring resilience, cultural expectations, domestic violence awareness, identity, and the search for one’s own voice. The conversation was moderated by Professor Pamila Dembla and featured Aparna Bhattacharyya, executive director of Raksha; Monica Modi Khant, CEO of the Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence (API-GBV); and Atlanta-based filmmaker Octavia Pugh.
What stays with Rustagi long after each screening, she said, are the audience members who tell her they felt “seen, heard, and represented.” During the Atlanta event, one attendee simply shared, “I felt seen”—the words every filmmaker hopes to hear. Throughout the evening, women raised their hands to say, “This is my story,” underscoring how often domestic violence goes unspoken in upper-middle-class South Asian communities, where it is frequently met with disbelief.
“Hearing people connect with Preeti’s story, and resonate with so many of the film’s dialogues, makes every challenge, setback, and sleepless night of independent filmmaking worthwhile,” Rustagi said.
Reflecting on the evening, she added, “Together, we’re proving that film can be more than entertainment; it can be connection, healing, and change.”
Thanking those who attended, shared their experiences, and became part of the conversation, Rustagi had a simple message: “Atlanta, you were amazing.”
Designed by Preeti is available to rent online at designedbypreetimovie.com/