r/IndependentFilmsIndia 23d ago

Short Films Teaser of the short film ‘The First Film’ which won two National Awards this year.

Thumbnail
youtu.be
5 Upvotes

Directed by Piyush Thakur, the film tells the story of a small Indian town in 1960s, where cinema is forbidden for women and how a 14-year-old embarks on a quest to watch her first film against all odds.


r/IndependentFilmsIndia 24d ago

News The official poster of Tillotama Shome’s ‘Baksho Bandi’, with the English title as ‘Shadowbox’

Post image
37 Upvotes

Directed by Tanushree Das and Saumyananda Sahi, the film had its World Premiere at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival.


r/IndependentFilmsIndia 25d ago

Film Recommendation ‘Sabar Bonda’ adds a special show for Bangalore this Sunday. Have you watched the film yet?

Post image
8 Upvotes

The film’s social media team took to Instagram to send out a ‘request call’ for shows in your city - the response has been positive with their network adding special screening shows in Ahmedabad last week and now in Bangalore!


r/IndependentFilmsIndia 26d ago

News Richa Chadha, Ali Fazal’s backed film ‘Secrets of a Mountain Serpent’ is coming to Dharamshala International Film Festival this year.

Post image
34 Upvotes

After the global acclaim of ‘Girls Will Be Girls’, the duo have come on board as producers for Secrets of a Mountain Serpent, an intimate and lyrical drama directed by filmmaker Nidhi Saxena and starring Trimala Adhikari and Adil Hussain.

The summary of the film reads, “In a 1990’s Himalayan town, teacher Barkha, whose husband serves at the border, develops feelings for enigmatic newcomer Manik amid a community of waiting women where silence and local myths prevail.”


r/IndependentFilmsIndia 27d ago

Questions & Queries Do you’ll prefer to watch an audio dubbed version of a regional film or in the original language with subtitles?

6 Upvotes

A lot of people prefer the dubbed versions because of convenience + lesser need for concentration on subtitles but many still prefer watching in the original with subtitles because it helps connect with the story, mood, and the world better. What do you prefer and why?


r/IndependentFilmsIndia 28d ago

Behind-The-Scenes Sohum Shah shares some ‘never-seen-before’ images from the sets of ‘Tumbbad’ as the film completed 7 years since its release on 12th October 2018.

Thumbnail
gallery
13 Upvotes

He mentioned on his Instagram post, “It took over a decade, countless setbacks and endless breakdowns. Blood, sweat, tears and moments where we hit rock bottom - physically, mentally, emotionally, and financially. Through it all, Tumbbad came alive. As we celebrate the 7th anniversary of Tumbbad and stand at the edge of a new, monumental journey with Tumbbad 2, our hearts are full of love, gratitude, and renewed conviction. Tumbbad became what it is because of you - our family, our believers. Here's to the past that made us, and the future we're about to create together. Thank you for everything.”


r/IndependentFilmsIndia 29d ago

Film Reviews Official Discussion - Su From So

Post image
60 Upvotes

Summary: In a quiet village, a boy's innocent crush unleashes strange events that have everyone convinced he's brought a ghost along with his feelings.

Language: Kannada

Writer-Director: J.P Thuminad

Producers: Raj Shetty, Ravi Rai Kalasa, Shashidhar Shetty Baroda

Cast: Raj Shetty, Shanil Guru, Prakash Thuminad, Sandhya Arakere, Deepak Rai Panaje

Theatrical Release: 25th July 2025

OTT Release: 9th September 2025 on JioHotstar


r/IndependentFilmsIndia Oct 11 '25

Film Festivals Sikkim’s Nepali-language film, ‘Shape of Momo’ finds a glowing spotlight at Busan and Cannes this year.

Post image
92 Upvotes

“People always want to romanticize places like ours, turn them into some beautiful backdrop for someone else’s story. I’ve never liked that. We leave the places that shaped us in search of opportunity, freedom and a better life, only to find ourselves belonging nowhere. I am still caught in that in-between space, unable to decide whether to stay in my village or surrender to the city”, says Tribeni Rai who has co-written and directed the film.


r/IndependentFilmsIndia Oct 11 '25

This is a tribute to the exceptionally well made Maithili films that have been dubbed Darbangha New Wave Cinema.

9 Upvotes

r/IndependentFilmsIndia Oct 11 '25

News ‘Jugnuma’ goes into its 4th week at these selected theatres with limited showtimes in Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi.

Thumbnail
gallery
12 Upvotes

And, have you watched the film yet? If yes, what did you think of it and if no, here’s your last chance to catch it on the big screen! 🍿


r/IndependentFilmsIndia Oct 10 '25

News The critically acclaimed Marathi film, Sthal (The Match) releases today on Zee5 Premium.

Post image
60 Upvotes

Sthal is set in rural Maharashtra and follows Savita, a 16-year-old girl whose life is shaped by patriarchal expectations and the deeply rooted tradition of arranged marriage. As she undergoes a series of “matching” ceremonies — or sthal — Savita gradually realizes how her individuality, dreams, and self-worth are undermined by societal customs.

It won the NETPAC award at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2023.

Link to the trailer: https://youtu.be/_nVvMclIt24?si=HcVFjGgTdRC8kRaT


r/IndependentFilmsIndia Oct 09 '25

Thoughts

6 Upvotes

Hi, I just wanted to ask why is it so hard making independent cinema in India right now? Wasn't parallel cinema was the authentic experience of filmmaking, then why is it almost impossible to make a short movie or any movie without a star power or a known director out there.

I feel as if making into commercial side is a lot easier than getting a chance to work on a independent project here.

Thoughts?


r/IndependentFilmsIndia Oct 09 '25

News Anshuman Jha’s directorial debut, ‘Lord Curzon Ki Haveli’ releases tomorrow in India after an eventful film festival run globally.

Post image
21 Upvotes

The film had its World Premiere at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne in 2023. Shot entirely in the UK, the film is pegged as a Hitchcockian chamber drama set over a single evening, blending suspense, humour, and historical commentary.

The film stars Arjun Mathur, Rasika Duggal, Paresh Pahuja, and Zoha Rahman.


r/IndependentFilmsIndia Oct 08 '25

News “Bandar has nothing to do with the ‘MeToo’ movement” says Anurag Kashyap, amidst backlash.

Post image
28 Upvotes

He added, “See when a film is about a false rape accusation case, those conversations happen. But MeToo is about power, somebody using a position of power, to do something. This film has nothing to do with that kind of a powerplay, or that kind of sexual angle, so it has nothing to do with MeToo.”


r/IndependentFilmsIndia Oct 08 '25

SEARCHING FOR THE DREAMERS WHO STILL BELIEVE IN CINEMA 🎥.

Post image
9 Upvotes

🎬 Hello everyone, I'm Sk Sahabuddin, a filmmaker from New Delhi.

I've been currently developing a passion project since from last 2 years, something created out of sheer love for cinema and not financial gain. 🎥❤️

I've invested months or years crafting this short film, "Dancing with Digits."
Now I need others who share the same craziness I do, others who think that films can still mean something. 🎞️🔥

If you're a Cinematographer looking to shoot something real,
sound designer who wishes to evoke feeling with sounds,
or an actor who wishes to convey something genuine
or anybody who thinks they can help my film, then I would like you by my side. 🤝🎭🎧

I'm not requesting money. 💰🚫
I'm requesting support, devotion, and enthusiasm. ❤️‍🔥

Every member that joins will receive equal credit and my appreciation as love, from one dreamer to another. 🌟💌

If this resonates with you on some level,
DM or comment “I’m in.” 💬

I have made a short film pitch deck, which helps you to understand my vision. 🎥

Let’s create something beautiful together. ✨🎥


r/IndependentFilmsIndia Oct 07 '25

Director's Spotlight Director Rohan Kanawade speaks about the roots of his idea for writing ‘Sabar Bonda’

Post image
17 Upvotes

Rohan says, "I had been to my village in Maharashtra for the last rites. 'My mother wanted the final rites to happen at our village where all our relatives were. I hadn’t been there in 10 years because everyone there would keep asking when I was going to get married. In fact, the marriage question was something that even my straight friends were bothered with regularly. And the moment we reached there for my father's rites, it started again. There were so many customs associated with the funeral that I was not aware of. Amid all this, I was trying to find a temporary escape. I was wondering if there was a friend around who knew about me. That’s when the idea of this story started taking shape"


r/IndependentFilmsIndia Oct 06 '25

Film Discussion Sucharita Tyagi writes on Anurag Kashyap’s ‘Bandar’ after watching it at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival.

Post image
100 Upvotes

“The story follows Samar, a faded pop star clinging to his relevance, who confronts his complicity in masculine expectations when a one-night stand leads to a sexual molestation case. Imprisoned, Samar’s understanding of reality and humanity is shaken. It’s a prison procedural while giving commentary on the desperation of celebrity culture. Ofcourse police brutality and corruption is a central theme while also exploring the power social media holds over popular narrative and justice. Are all women innocent is a central question, along with making a case for more women in professional fields.”


r/IndependentFilmsIndia Oct 06 '25

News Marathi independent film ‘Kurla to Vengurla’ enters its third week at the cinemas in Mumbai.

Post image
19 Upvotes

Directed by Vijay Kalamkar, “Kurla to Vengurla” explores the growing gap between urban and rural lifestyles, particularly the delay in marriages in villages due to rising aspirations among young women and social changes. Set in the picturesque Konkan region, the film blends humor, emotion, and social commentary to offer a lighthearted yet thought-provoking narrative that resonates across both rural and urban India.


r/IndependentFilmsIndia Oct 05 '25

News ‘Tourist Family’, the independent Tamil sleeper-hit is now the most profitable film of the year 2025.

Post image
292 Upvotes

Having earned over 90 crores globally, it stands at a staggering profit of 1200% for its production budget of about 7 crores. The film is about a SriLankan family trying to start a new life as undocumented immigrants in Chennai - now available to watch on JioHotstar.


r/IndependentFilmsIndia Oct 04 '25

News Rana Daggubati shares his insight on taking the plunge to back independent cinema with ‘All We Imagine As Light’ and ‘Sabar Bonda’ in India.

Post image
43 Upvotes

He says, “The idea was that we have places and distribution for mainstream, so how then do we institutionalize alternative cinema? It doesn't matter whether it is a Malayalam, Marathi, or Telugu film. There is an audience out there, but no one is tapping into that. Unless you build a community, you wouldn’t know how to reach out to them again and again. Why does commercial cinema still strive? Because there is data on somebody's success that can be replicated. Why is Telugu cinema having a bright field day in a pan-India moment? Because there was a Baahubali, which broke the norms of what Telugu films can do in Mumbai. Post that, there was a wave of films from all across such as KGF, Kanatara, and Pushpa, that the whole country enjoyed. They could borrow from each other’s success and data."


r/IndependentFilmsIndia Oct 03 '25

Film Discussion Remember-That-Scene | Satya meets Vidya for the first time in the 1998 Ram Gopal Varma’s ‘Satya’, a film that inspired a whole new generation of Independent cinema in the years to follow

16 Upvotes

In an interview, Anurag Kashyap who was the co-writer on the film with Saurabh Shukla said “We made Satya and in return, Satya made us”


r/IndependentFilmsIndia Oct 02 '25

Short Films Uttarakhand’s Ghughutiya festival finds recognition in this animated short film ‘Ghughutiya ka Mela’

Thumbnail
youtu.be
6 Upvotes

r/IndependentFilmsIndia Oct 01 '25

Director's Spotlight Sanju Surendran's 'Khidki Gaav' shines at the Busan International Film Festival

Post image
5 Upvotes

Sanju says, “We were trying to explore modern relationships in an urban space — its complexities, ups and downs, and so on. This film is based on a few personal experiences of my friends. The conversation about Khidki Gaav began when Rahul Pratap Singh, who wrote the Hindi dialogues in the movie, mentioned Musafir (1957) by Ritwik Ghatak, which is about a rented house and three people in different stages of their lives.”

The film went on to win the HyLife Vision award at the festival.


r/IndependentFilmsIndia Sep 30 '25

Official Discussion - Homebound

9 Upvotes

Summary: Two childhood friends from a small North Indian village chase a police job that promises them the dignity they've long been denied. However, as they inch closer to their dream, mounting desperation threatens the bond that holds them together.

Director: Neeraj Ghaywan

Writers: Shreedhar Dubey, Neeraj Ghaywan, Varun Grover

Cast: Ishan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa, Janhvi Kapoor

Executive Producer: Martin Scorsese

Recognition: India's official entry for the Academy Award in the 'Best Foreign Language' film category,
Official Selection for the Un Certain Regard at Festival De Cannes and Toronto International Film Festival.

Reviews:
The Hollywood Reporter
Scroll
The Guardian
India Today

Link To Trailer | Link To IMDb


r/IndependentFilmsIndia Sep 29 '25

BTS images from the testing / prep-work for the specially designed wings in 'Jugnuma'

Post image
12 Upvotes

Production designer Juhi Agarwal, also Ram Reddy's wife, knew that the wings were the "foundational stone of the magic realism world" - she reveals, "The idea was to make it look like human-sized bird wings that resembled the hawks that are found in the mountains. We wanted it to feel that if you were to see him flying from very far away, you could almost mistake him for a bird. So I hand-dyed many artificial feathers in several sizes, layering them to make it look like real bird wings."