Writer-director duo Devanshu, Sudhanshu Singh explain why they retained #MeToo accused Gursimran Khamba's name in Chintu Ka Birthday trailer
Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; June 4, 2020)

Back in 2018, the Vinay Pathak and Tillotama Shome starrer, Chintu Ka Birthday was dropped from the MAMI line-up after All India Bakchod (AIB) member Gursimran Khamba was entangled in the #MeToo controversy. However, two years later, the producer has been credited in the trailer of the film. Writer-director duo Devanshu and Satyanshu Singh stand by their final outcome. Satyanshu says, "Even when our film was suffering, we opted to stand by the movement by not claiming the film."

He adds that they didn't dispute MAMI's decision in 2018. "Considering we haven't spoken against MAMI's decision, means that we are supportive of the movement."

On probing further about acknowledging Khamba in the trailer credits, Satyanshu believes it is only "fair". "When this film was dropped, family members and friends were heartbroken. They wanted us to fight [for the film], but we maintained our silence. There is enough precedent in the past, where people in the wrong have [moved on] and done their thing. Khamba is a friend and I know the truth better than most people. I believe it is a fair credit," insists Satyanshu.

After being stuck in the cans for long, the light-hearted family drama, set in Iraq 2004, will finally see a digital release on Zee5. Writer-director duo insist they stuck their neck out for the film because of their faith in the project, they insist. Devanshu says, "It's not over confidence, we believed in the film when we wrote it back in 2007. It has stayed with us for 13 years, so one can imagine how special it is to us. On gauging the reaction of viewers, we agreed that the film is in indeed special. I am glad it is releasing digitally, but as directors, we understand the logistics."

Maine Pyar Kiya girl Bhagyashree and son Abhimanyu Dassani talk about the pain and pleasures of showbiz
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 18, 2019)

Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota, that’s a corny title for debut and Abhimanyu Dassani admits that for a year he didn’t tell anyone about the film. When he did, well, people laughed although the action-comedy enlightens one about a rare medical condition, Congenital Insensitivity to Pain, whereby the patient is immune to pain. “Like a girl in San Francisco I read about during research, who’d been walking around with a fracture till she tried to slip on a pair of heels and discovered her ankle was swollen,” says Abhimanyu. And since his character, Surya, binges on martial arts films which leads to an epic duel with his mentor’s evil twin, he had his share of pain too, through nine months of three-hour training and a shoot replete with stunts and injuries. “I dislocated my right shoulder, got a scar on my left, broke my middle finger, fell off a bike, jumped off a fourth floor without a harness,” he rattles off.

Recalling the last one, his mother, Maine Pyar Kiya girl Bhagyashree, shares that since they were filming close to their home, she and husband Himalaya dropped by one evening with snacks for everyone. “Moments before, Abhimanyu had taken the dive with only an air-bed to cushion his fall. When I berated Vasan Bala (director), he confided that it was to be done by his double, but at the last moment, my son insisted on emulating his Hollywood idols,” she shudders.

Later, as his parents watched, Abhimanyu had his skin nicked by a switchboard knife, but telling himself to perform and not react, asked for another take as the blood pooled. Bhagyashree remembers jumping up, only for Himalaya to catch her hand and urge her to sit down, saying, “He’s the hero here so we can’t behave like parents, we have to believe in him.” All that’s behind them now and she can wake up with a smile, hug and kiss him, till Abhimanyu tells her exasperatedly to behave. “Even when he won prizes in school, I’d be in the front row, clapping, clicking pictures and embarrassing him,” she laughs, remembering the thrill of seeing long queues outside the two theatres screening his film during MAMI. “Both ran to full houses and they had to eventually screen it in five theatres. I couldn’t stop crying. I didn’t see my own film in the theatres 30 years ago. Today, I’m living that excitement and anticipation through my son.”

One would think acting was the logical choice for Abhimanyu who’d grown up on re-runs of Maine Pyar Kiya but he has a degree in finance and has founded and sold off 10-12 successful start-ups since he was 16, before assisting on Dum Maaro Dum and Nautanki Saala and realising that this was his calling. Some day he’d like to dabble in organic farming, but for now he’s enjoying the attention coming his way since the film’s premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival last year. “I wasn’t being let in because no one recognised me but the screening ended with a standing ovation and after that people were calling me 'Surya' on the streets, the way they still call my mom Suman,” smiles Abhimanyu who bagged the Best New Young Actor Award at an international fest at Macau.

Bhagyashree points out that kids today are more professional and knowledgeable. “Sooraj ji (Barjatya, director), Salman (Khan) and I were so raw, but got our shots done in two takes max,” she reminisces, revealing how during the Antakshri shoot, Salman had slipped on the stairs and she burst into spontaneous laughter and a “hota hai hota hai” caught Sooraj’s eye and found its way into the film.

Has Salman seen Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota? “Not yet, but the other day, he called out to me, saying he’d heard I’d done an amazing job and if he’d have to come to my house to see the film. The 300 people around him didn’t recognise me and wondered about me,” Abhimanyu hoots while his mom recalls how during the shooting of “Dil Deewana” Salman had learnt about her secret romance with Himalaya and ragged her endlessly. “At our wedding, Sooraj ji and Salman were my family and stayed till the end.”

Her daughter Avantika, a graduate of UK’s Cass Business School who works with a city NGO, is getting interested in the movies too. “We tried to keep our kids away from the insecurities and heartaches of showbiz, but I’ve realised it’s best to let them follow their dreams and if it brings an international award, then, I can beam proudly,” she laughs, running to give Abhimanyu a hug even as he tells her to behave. 

The actress was unanimously voted at a recent board meeting of the Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival
MUMBAI MIRROR (January 30, 2019)

At a recently held board meeting of the Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival with Star, Deepika Padukone was unanimously voted as the new chairperson of MAMI. Her notable evolution into a credible actor, her connect with the audience across the globe, especially with youth, and her incredible work to create awareness about mental health in the country played a crucial role in this decision. Deepika, who is now both an actor and a producer, has played an important role in propelling and changing the narrative around women in Indian films. The board hopes that under her leadership, the festival will continue to flourish and attract newer and younger audiences.

Former chairperson Kiran Rao has stepped down from the position to focus on a film project. The filmmaker, who has been instrumental in the new vision that the Academy has implemented, said, “It has been my privilege and pleasure to work as part of the core team of MAMI, and after four years as Chairperson of the Academy, I am delighted to welcome one of India’s most loved film stars, Deepika Padukone as the new Chairperson. Deepika has been a supporter of the festival and part of our Board of Trustees, and is a person whose ethos and work I greatly admire. I am sure that under her leadership the Academy will become stronger and more robust in serving the cinema community. I look forward to supporting her in this journey and wish her all the very best.”

Isha Ambani (right), Board of Trustees, MAMI, expressed her happiness, saying, “I am thrilled at Deepika’s appointment as Chairperson for Jio MAMI. Her stellar achievements speak for themselves and at Jio we’re confident that she will lend her brilliance to the Jio MAMI platform to continue taking the festival to newer heights.”

Anupama Chopra, Festival Director, said: “I want to thank both these amazing women for putting their might and muscle behind the festival. For the last four years, Kiran has worked with us in the trenches and provided every level of support. We are all delighted that Deepika is now leading the team. I’m an admirer of her work and I’m really looking forward to working with and learning from her.”

Ready to take on the challenge, Deepika added, “It’s an absolute honour and a huge responsibility. I believe in MAMI’s vision and we are committed towards creating a community that cinema lovers and creators of a filmpassionate nation like ours truly deserve.”

The 20th edition of the Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival with Star wrapped up in November with a stellar line-up of films and filmmakers in attendance. It marked a new milestone in the history of the festival as evidenced by the kilometre-long queues of avid film lovers who turned out in record numbers to catch the most awaited films of the year and to hear cutting edge filmmakers like Darren Aronofsky, Sean Baker and Lucrecia Martel in conversation. Under the leadership team of Chairperson Kiran Rao, Festival Director Anupama Chopra, Creative Director Smriti Kiran and some of the best film professionals, thought leaders in India on its board, the Academy (Mumbai Academy of Moving Image) has in the last four years grown from strength to strength and become the premier meeting ground and platform for the Indian film industry and audience. The board of trustees of MAMI comprises of Co-chair Nita M. Ambani, Deepika Padukone, Kiran Rao, Anupama Chopra, Farhan Akhtar, Zoya Akhtar, Karan Johar, Kabir Khan, Vishal Bhardwaj, Kaustubh Dhavse, Riteish Deshmukh, Siddharth Roy Kapur, Vikramaditya Motwane, Isha Ambani, Ajay Bijli, Rohan Sippy, Rana Daggubati, Anand Mahindra and Manish Mundra.

The 21st edition of the Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival with Star will take place from October 17-24, 2019. The Academy’s Year Round Programme, under which it hosts weekly screenings, conversations and workshops kicked off the year by screening M Night Shyamalan’s Glass and winner of the Golden Gateway award at the festival in 2018, Rima Das’ Bulbul Can Sing.


The MAMI board of trustees: Deepika with Kabir Khan, Siddharth Roy Kapur, Kiran Rao, Zoya Akhtar, Rohan Sippy, Preet Kiran, Vishal Bhardwaj, Anupama Chopra, Kaustubh Dhavse and Vikramaditya Motwane

PTI (BOMBAY TIMES; October 29, 2018)

Lauding women for having the courage to share their sexual harassment stories, filmmaker Shonali Bose says the #MeToo movement shouldn’t be reduced to male-bashing. “This movement should at no point become male-bashing. It is not about men and women; it is about the patriarchy embedded in our society. I was in a prominent college in Delhi, I was sexually harassed in the auditorium and I went up to the stage and said we were shutting down the festival as many faced it. The principal said I was going to be expelled. It is about the ideology, like women being shamed as to how you project yourself, what you wear... It is not coming from men alone, but women as well,” Shonali said on Friday at a #MeToo panel discussion at the MAMI Mumbai Film festival.

Shonali said the incident only made her realise how women are judged for what they wear and how they appear. The 53-year-old director believes cinema is the best way to break boundaries and smash stereotypes.

Renuka Shahane, who was also a part of the session, said, “Most people can’t separate art from the person. When you are not on a shoot, you can’t be judged and pounced upon, I have experienced a lot of that in the film industry. We just try to sweep it under the carpet. This whole ‘adjust’ thing is like a big conspiracy of silence.”

For Renuka, the movement is about creating a safe and respectful environment for women. “It is unfortunate that these things happen. I have seen both the sides. Like there are women who enter the industry with the thought that they are willing to do anything to get in here, and then there are women who don’t want to do anything. They should also be allowed to work in an environment that satisfies them as actors.” She gave the example of ‘intimacy coordinators’ being hired in Hollywood to ensure standards and prevent abuse during all sexual scenes on set and said the same should be there in India as well. “My husband (Ashutosh Rana) has done a lot of that in the film industry and he has always been careful and sensitive in such scenes. It is a tricky scene to perform as you have to be in the scene and make sure your female co-star is not suffering from any kind of harassment. Good actors have managed to do it in an aesthetic way.”

Top of the line talent and a robust #MeToo programme at the fest which runs from October 25 to November 1
MUMBAI MIRROR (October 25, 2018)

With Jio MAMI 20th Mumbai Film Festival with Star celebrating a milestone, it’s hardly a surprise that this year the festival will rise beyond anything it has done before. From the vast selection of films that will screen to the talent that will attend, Mumbai will play host to India’s most exciting and leading film festival. While the festival celebrates films from India and across the world, MAMI Mumbai Film Festival is not just about the films but the discussions and conversations that surround it. So, while you are planning your week’s itinerary, here’s our top 5 reasons to make the festival a part of your week!

Smriti Kiran, Creative Director, said, “It is a very difficult time. We move into a celebration of cinema with a broken heart but with a resolve to keep the conversation going. The lineup this year is the best we have managed both in terms of talent and films. We are hoping that this 20-year milestone is the starting point to a new chapter both for MAMI and for the industry.”

Incredible line-up of films…
The ‘World Cinema’ category will screen 64 films from 43 countries in 37 languages and include 14 female directors, ranging from Chile, Kazakhstan, Egypt, Canada and Poland to some closer to home from the subcontinent such as Philippines, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Singapore, in languages like Azeri, Icelandic, Hebrew and Guizhou Dialect to Sinhala, Swahili, Tagalog and Wayunikee. While the category is known to feature some true masters of cinema like Lee Chang-dong, Paweł Pawlikowski, Jafar Panahi, Jean-Luc Godard, Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Jia Zhangke, Alfonso Cuarón, Hong Sang-soo and Hirokazu Kore-eda, the festival will also celebrate favourites like BlacKkKlansman (Cannes Film Festival), Sorry to Bother You (Sundance Film Festival), Rafiki (the first Kenyan film to be selected at Cannes Film Festival), Berlinale winner Mug by Małgorzata Szumowska and Sundance winner The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Desiree Akhavan.

Local heroes: Indian filmmakers
The selection this year is a cauldron filled with India’s delicious cultural diversity. It spans multiple states and languages including Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Hindi, Punjabi, Bengali and Gaddi. This special edition of the festival marks the return of a host of creators from the Jio MAMI with Star family. Aadish Keluskar (his film Kaul won the Young Critics Choice Award in 2015) returns to the competition section with his latest Jaoon Kahan Bata Ae Dil and Rima Das returns with her third feature Bulbul Can Sing — a coming of age tale and her third consecutive feature at the festival after Man With The Binoculars (2016) and Village Rockstars (2017).

#MeToo Programme at the Festival….
The #Metoo movement has taken the country by storm and is fast gaining momentum. Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival with Star stands in solidarity with the movement and with the complainants. The festival not only supports the movement but would like it to continue to evolve into a more nuanced discussion that brings clarity and solutions.

The #MeToo programme at the festival is curated by filmmaker Ruchi Narain. There are 3 conversations and one workshop planned as part of the programme. The speakers include Aamir Khan, Parvathy, Kabir Khan, Anjali Menon, Shonali Bose, Renuka Shahane. The workshop on Sexual Harrassment at the workshop will be conducted by Anusha Khan and Asiya Shervani. The discussions will be moderated by Ruchi Narain and journalist Deepanjana Pal.

Masters and masterclasses…
While the Mumbai Academy of Moving Image (MAMI) will screen over 200 films in the coming week, one of the biggest highlights of the festival this year are the Masterclasses by some of the world’s most renowned and accomplished personalities in film. Filmmakers Darren Aronofsky, Sean Baker and Lucrecia Martel will talk about their work and interact with the legions of fans they have in the country.

Experience India gold and world premieres…
The prestigious India Gold section is the exclusive competition category for the latest Indian films from across the country. Jio MAMI with Star will premiere 8 top of the line Indian Films in competition this year. This includes three world premieres with Ridham Janve’s The Gold-Laden Sheep and The Sacred Mountain, Aadish Keluskar’s Jaoon Kahan Bata Ae Dil and Vinit Chandrasekharan’s Buddha. Watched by a Jury of esteemed film personalities from around the world, the India Gold Selection is a platform that has premiered breakout films like Chaitanya Tamhane’s Court, Gurvinder Singh’s Chauthi Koot, Raam Reddy’s Thithi, Rima Das’ Village Rockstars, Shlok Sharma’s Haraamkhor and Avinash Arun’s Killa.

Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; October 22, 2018)

Filmmaker Shazia Iqbal has penned an open letter, questioning the board members of the MAMI Film Festival, for dropping her short film Bebaak from the line-up. According to her post, the film was set to have its world premiere at the fest this year, but the board decided to drop it “because one of the producers of the film is Anurag Kashyap.”

When BT reached out to Shazia, she was on a location reccee for an upcoming project. Talking about the entire episode, she says, “I am just waiting for their response to officially reach me. They were not giving me a reason in writing while I was writing to them continuously. They have issued a response on a social media platform that they have done this to support the ongoing #MeToo movement. No one in my film is a proven offender or a complicit. This is just pulling down my work for no apparent reason.”

When asked if Anurag Kashyap, who has partly produced her film, is aware of her exchanges with the festival’s board, she says, “Anurag knew about my plan to write the letter. He told me that if something is not done right, go ahead and fight it. He was a board member at MAMI and he’s stepped down because they are making him out to be a culprit. Kanu Bahl and Vikramaditya Motwane’s films are also suffering for the same reason. If that is their real stance, they should also drop other films like Lars Von Trier’s The House That Jack Built. He is directly accused, not a complicit; one of the most powerful filmmakers to be outed during the #MeToo movement last year. Sean Beacon will have a masterclass, when one of his films has been produced by an accused of sexual harassment, too.”

Shazia feels that the festival’s decision could derail the movement. She explains, “If you punish people who have nothing to do with offenders, you will set a wrong example. My film Bebaak is against patriarchy and misogyny. It stands for the movement we’re into right now. Shutting my film down is not the right way to go. Kevin Spacey and Harvey Weinstein were punished when found guilty, but the shows or the people around them were not penalised.”

Survivor Geetika Tyagi calls out Aamir Khan for collaborating with Subhash Kapoor on Mogul, years after director was accused of sexual abuse
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; October 11, 2018)

Lauding the Mumbai Academy of the Moving Image (MAMI) for dropping projects featuring alleged sexual harassers from this year's festival, actor Geetika Tyagi has implored festival chair Kiran Rao and superstar Aamir Khan to re-evaluate the hiring of Subhash Kapoor to helm their home production Mogul, the Bhushan Kumar biopic.

After she urged Aamir Khan and Kiran Rao on Twitter to reconsider the superstar's collaboration with Subhash Kapoor on Mogul, actor Geetika Tyagi tells mid-day that it is up to the industry to carry the #MeToo movement forward. Tyagi, who accused Kapoor of sexual abuse in 2014 is appalled that the director has gone ahead to helm two films since then and is currently working on the Gulshan Kumar biopic.

"Subhash Kapoor was shooting for Guddu Rangeela (2015) when this started. After that, he bagged Jolly LLB 2. (2017) and now, he is doing Mogul. How is he still getting work? I hope Kiran and Aamir will decide wisely. I don't want them to rob someone of his livelihood, I want them to do the right thing," says Tyagi, who had even uploaded a video in 2014 that corroborated her claims. The video, which had gone viral, showed the director apologising to her for his actions and ended with Tyagi slapping him.

The actor agrees that over the years, there has been a positive change in the attitude of the industry towards survivors.

Pointing out how the Mumbai Academy of the Moving Image (MAMI), led by Rao, set a precedent by dropping films of the accused from this year's line-up, Tyagi adds that she hopes Rao exercises the same sternness with regard to her husband's production. "I have met Kiran once. She is a feminist, so I would want to believe that hiring Subhash is an oversight."

Tyagi has been fighting a lonely battle over the past five years. "The media failed me then. Though I found support initially, it fizzled out. I did everything by the book — I spoke up, named the guy, went to the police — and yet, I was fighting alone. There is no guild that protects actresses to take on men in power. I had second thoughts about being part of the industry. I stopped attending parties; I stopped hanging out. The next hearing is on January. And the trial is yet to begin."

However, the latest revolution has instilled faith in her. "The movement has gathered momentum. Justice will be served," she says.

Accused Kapoor was unavailable for comment at the time of going to press.

As AIB-produced film is dropped from MAMI, Chintu Ka Birthday directors hope movie will find audience
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; October 10, 2018)

In light of the sexual harassment allegations against All India Bakchod (AIB) member Gursimran Khamba and inaction on part of co-founder Tanmay Bhat, the Mumbai Academy of Moving Image (MAMI) dropped the AIB-produced Chintu Ka Birthday from the line-up of the upcoming edition of the MAMI Film Festival. In its statement, MAMI announced that the decision stemmed from their desire to "find solutions to harassment and sexual misconduct in the workplace".

Directed by Satyanshu and Devanshu Singh, the film marked AIB's foray into feature films and was to premiere at the festival. The decision has understandably evoked mixed feelings in the director duo.

Satyanshu (left) said, "It is unfortunate that our film is suffering. But we need to look at the bigger picture. It's not a time to be angry about it because I believe something big [referring to the #MeToo movement] is going on."

When asked if they plan to appeal to the festival organisers to reconsider the matter, Devanshu said, "On one hand, we support the movement and my heart goes out to all the victims. But on the other hand, it is our first film. I am too new to know how the industry works." Satyanshu though remains optimistic: "I am sure our film will find an audience."

New allegation surfaces against Rajat Kapoor, as the #MeToo movement hits closer to home
MID-DAY (October 10, 2018)

Two days after he issued an apology stating that he has "tried to be a decent man," comes another allegation against Rajat Kapoor. An anonymous user has come forward to accuse the actor of sexually harassing her when she was 20.

The survivor alleged that they would often interact on Facebook, where she would refer to him as 'Sir' while he used to call her 'little b**ch'. She further revealed that the incident in question occurred when they met in Bandra and he insisted on dropping her home. She recounted the horror as he "tried to hold my hand, touch my cheek...and tried kissing me not once, not twice, eight times."

This accusation comes close on the heels of two women accusing him of sexual misbehaviour. While a journalist tweeted that he misbehaved with her during a telephonic interview, another stated that he had demanded on "shooting in an empty house" with her.

In the wake of these allegations, his film Kadakh has been dropped from the MAMI line-up.

Filmmaker Shlok Sharma receiving an award in 2015 for his film Haraamkhor

MUMBAI MIRROR (September 19, 2018)

India’s biggest film festival, the Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival with Star, celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. Slowly becoming the world’s gateway to the best of Indian cinema, the festival announced its line-up for the prestigious India Gold section — the exclusive competition category for latest Indian films from across the country.

A platform that premiered breakout films like Chaitanya Tamhane’s Court, Gurvinder Singh’s Chauthi Koot, Raam Reddy’s Thithi, Rima Das’ Village Rockstars, Shlok Sharma’s Haraamkhor and Avinash Arun’s Killa, Jio MAMI with Star will premiere nine top-of-the-line Indian Films in competition this year. This includes three world premieres with Ridham Janve’s The Gold-Laden Sheep And The Sacred Mountain, Aadish Keluskar’s Jaoon Kahan Bata Ae Dil and Vinit Chandrasekharan’s Buddha. One Indian title, Dominic Sagma’s MA•AMA, is also in the International Competition section that focuses on debut filmmakers from across the world.

The selection this year spans multiple states and languages including Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Hindi, Punjabi, Bengali and Gaddi. The edition also marks the return of a host of creators from the Jio MAMI with Star family. Kannada drama Balekempa is the directorial debut of Ere Gowda (co-writer of Raam Reddy’s Thithi which played in the International Competition section in 2015), Aadish Keluskar (his Kaul won the Young Critics Choice Award in 2015) returns to the competition section with his latest Jaoon Kahan Bata Ae Dil and Rima Das returns with her third feature Bulbul Can Sing — a coming of age tale and her third consecutive feature at the festival after Man With The Binoculars (2016) and Village Rockstars (2017).

Apart from world premieres and latest films from MAMI alumni creators, the selection also has current festival favourites (Indian titles that have travelled far and wide, making waves at festivals around the world this year) — Aditya Vikram Sengupta’s (Labour Of Love) — new film Jonaki (World Premiered at IFFR this year) and filmmaker Ivan Ayr’s Soni (World Premiered at Venice International Film Festival this year).

Kerala State Film Award winner Light In The Room from Rahul Riji Nair is also in the selection as is Kabir Chowdhry’s quasi-documentary Mehsampur.

The India Gold films will be watched by a Jury of esteemed film personalities from around the world. The Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival with Star this year will take place between October 25 to November 1.

Films in INDIA GOLD

Balekempa | Dir Ere Gowda | India | 2018| 103 mins

Buddha | Dir Vinit Chandrasekharan | India | 2018 | 100 mins

Bulbul Can Sing | Dir Rima Das | India | 2018 | 90 mins

Jaoon Kahan Bata Ae Dil | Dir Aadish Keluskar | India | 2018 | 105 mins

Jonaki | Dir Aditya Vikram Sengupta | India | 2018 | 95 mins

Light In The Room | Dir Rahul Riji Nair | Malayalam | 97 mins

Mehsampur | Dir Kabir Chowdhry | Indian | 2018 | 99 mins

Soni | Dir Ivan Ayr | India | 2018 | 97 mins

The Gold-Laden Sheep and The Sacred Mountain | Dir Ridham Janve | India | 2018 | 97 mins


Filmmaker Rima Das won the top prize in India Gold section last year for Village Rockstars, presented by Deepika Padukone, who is a member of the festival board


A still from Das’s Bulbul Can Sing, which had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival this month. Its India premiere is slated for Jio MAMI with Star 201