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Bio

Chithra is a physical therapist turned filmmaker who identifies as Tamil. As a Physical Therapist, she traveled through remote parts of India, providing care and training caregivers to sustain treatments for 30 days until her next visit — a mission rooted in fostering behavior change through motivation, education, skill-building, and support. Today, these same principles shape her filmmaking, as she uses storytelling to engage communities, challenge norms, and shift perspectives, particularly around issues affecting biological and chosen families. Her earlier films, such as RAGS TO PADS—which tells the story of a man who reframed menstruation as a societal issue rather than just a woman’s issue—and FOREIGN PUZZLE—a poignant exploration of motherhood contrasting cancer’s brutality with the resilience of dance—tackle social issues and offer fresh perspectives. In 2024, with AMMA'S PRIDE, a short documentary exploring parental support for trans individuals, trans romance, and marriage equality while balancing joy and resistance, Chithra and her team launched an impact campaign called Path to Pride. The campaign aims to bridge the gap between trans communities and society by fostering safe spaces for dialogue on trans and queer rights, particularly in India and the South Asian diaspora. The film is also being used to sensitize key gatekeepers—healthcare providers, legal professionals, and policymakers—to dismantle systemic discrimination and build a more inclusive society. She leveraged the micro-documentary DESI MOM to engage Americans, particularly within AAPI communities, on the importance of civic participation in local democracy. Her current feature documentary, LOVE CHAOS KIN, about cross-cultural adopted kinship in a divided America will use a data-driven approach to engage a diverse cross-section of American audiences, spreading the message of empathy and interconnectedness; advocating for ethical, child-centered adoption that maintains contact with birth families and imbue pride and belonging among first- and second-generation South Asian and AAPI communities.