According To The variety Avani Films has rolled out a new documentary slate featuring two projects nearing completion and a science series in development.
The production company’s lineup includes feature documentaries “Comedians in Bars” and “Dispatch,” both in late-stage production, alongside “Rebus,” a three-part science series currently in development.
“Comedians in Bars” ventures behind the scenes of stand-up comedy, capturing the art form’s development in bars, backrooms and late-night venues where material is tested and refined. Partially filmed at the Edinburgh Fringe, the world’s largest arts festival, the documentary features interviews with comedians who view themselves as outsiders despite securing programming at the prestigious event.
The film presents performers from various countries and subcultures discussing ambition, instability, self-doubt and the combination of determination and discipline necessary to build comedy careers. Drawing from director Anu Vaidyanathan’s touring experience, the documentary examines stand-up comedy as labor, survival mechanism and personal reckoning. “Dispatch,” which was selected for the NFDC Producers Lab at the WAVES Film Bazaar in partnership with Storiculture and Netflix, presents an intergenerational exploration of women’s experiences. The documentary unfolds across six movements, following a daughter as she grapples with dual inheritances from her birth family and marriage.
The film examines the transmission of care, discipline, labor and faith through women’s daily work spanning different geographies and generations. Rather than focusing on loss, the project emphasizes themes of continuity through intimate observation and remembered voices.
“Rebus,” the three-part science series, explores human, artificial and ecological intelligence. Developed from Vaidyanathan’s technical background — she holds a doctorate in electrical and computer engineering — the series aims to make AI and quantum computing accessible to general audiences. The project investigates why advanced systems handle complexity effectively while struggling with simple tasks, and examines what the global technology race reveals about power, ethics and imagination. The series combines cinematic presentation with a comedic tone to illuminate transformative technologies.
Vaidyanathan is a filmmaker, comedian, author and academic. She authored the HarperCollins bestseller “Anywhere But Home.”
Her debut stand-up hour “BC:AD” premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe before running Off-Broadway. Her second show “Blimp” has been adapted into a short narrative film starring Carlos Bardem and developed into a feature screenplay titled “Mis(s)Chief.”
WAVES Film Bazaar is the market component of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), Goa.
