Arundhati Roy shines in ‘In Which Annie Gives it to Those Ones’ with Shah Rukh cameo- Why this classic has made a comeback

Before Arundhati Roy became a globally recognised name, she worked in Indian cinema, both as an actor and screenwriter- writing scripts for two films and contributing to TV series. The 1989 film ‘In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones,’ written by her and featuring her in a prominent role, has now returned to theatres, 37 years after it released for Doordarshan in 1989. The movie directed by Arundhati’s former husband and filmmaker Pradip Krishen, is currently streaming in select theatres across the country, including in Kochi.

The movie, while brings to life the quirkiness and charm of student life in the 1970s and 80s in Delhi, also offers an early glimpse into the person Arundhati Roy is and would become—an architecture student-turned-novelist-activist known for her independent and unconventional views.

Through her character Radha and the titular character Annie, short name for Anand Grover, we are introduced to a group of students trying to find their footing at the prestigious National Institute of Architecture in New Delhi. While they go about their lives and academics, they also deal with authoritarian professors who hold grudges for years. Despite this, the spirit of the campus is liberal, where each student is able to express themselves individually and without the complexities associated with today’s times.

Arundhathi Roy, in a recent interview as part of the release of the movie had spoken about how the students in ‘In Which Annie Give It To Those Ones’ forgave each other, celebrated each other’s failures and their eccentricities. “They were never concerned about who had how much of what, or how many likes on social media,” she said. ‘In Which Annie…’ is definitely a celebration of life within the four walls of the campus.

The characters are also eccentric. The titular character Annie (played by Arjun Raina) who has been staying ‘forever’ at the college hostel for years with no hopes of passing his examinations. He has a hen named Sangeetha for company. Radha, meanwhile, is unafraid to express herself freely. Despite her carefree approach to life, she is deeply concerned with how contemporary architecture disrupts and divides the communities it is meant to serve, particularly those living in poverty on the streets. In a way, Arundhathi Roy’s character, reflects many of the qualities that define her today: a strong sense of individuality, a love for architecture, and a critical perspective on the world.
Radha’s love interest, Arjun (played by Rituraj), is far from the typical romantic lead seen in modern films. Despite the eccentricities of all these characters, the film never feels loud; it flows gently with emotions, capturing the sense of freedom and youth. The movie has its own charm, but it also shows just how talented Arundhathi Roy is as an actor. Her performance highlights her ability to captivate audiences, revealing a side of her that goes beyond her success as a novelist.

Cameos of Shah Rukh Khan and Manoj Bajpayee
Long before Shah Rukh Khan earned the title of Bollywood’s badshah, he was a fledgling actor, trying his hand in theatre — much like Manoj Bajpayee, best known for his role in ‘The Family Man.’ Both actors appear briefly in the film as students, hanging out together in cafeterias and shared spaces as part of a group. Shah Rukh’s character, sporting a rather unglamorous hairdo, is never named in the film and is simply credited as Senior.

Theatre screening after 37 years
'In Which Annie Gives it to Those Ones' was made for Doordarshan in the late 1980s but is being shown in theatres for the first time after 37 years. The film was restored in 4K by the Film Heritage Foundation, led by Shivendra Singh Dungarpur. The original negative, which was damaged, was carefully restored at the L'Immagine Ritrovata laboratory in Bologna, Italy, allowing it to be shared with a new generation of viewers.