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Sabar Bonda Wins Grand Jury Prize at @sundanceorg in World Cinema Dramatic competition section.

Here is to Indian Independent, Marathi and Queer Cinema!!!

With all our heart and love we bring to you the Official Teaser for TARA. 💫

It has been an incredible journey and it wouldn’t have been possible without the love & support of our patrons and well wishers.
The journey continues.

If you would like to screen TARA in your city or with your organisation please DM us ✨

Story & directed by @ashutoshs.shankar
Produced by @zena.sagar with @ritameher @lotusvisualpro @ishmaini

We’re proud to unveil the jury for the KASHISH QDrishti Film Grant 2026 🌈🎬

This year’s grant offers a ₹4 Lakh Production Grant + ₹50K Script Development Grant to an LGBTQ+ filmmaker to bring their queer short film to life — because powerful stories deserve powerful backing. ✨

🎬 Meet the Jury:

🌟 Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari – Nationally acclaimed filmmaker, writer, and producer behind emotionally rich stories like Nil Battey Sannata, Bareilly Ki Barfi, Panga, and Faadu. Known for her nuanced storytelling and deep human insight, Ashwiny brings a compassionate and visionary perspective to the jury panel.

🌟 Ishita Moitra – Award-winning screenwriter and creator celebrated for Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, Call Me Bae, Four More Shots Please! and Shakuntala Devi. Ishita’s bold, feminist, emotionally resonant storytelling has redefined contemporary mainstream narratives.

🌟 Nikkhil Advani – National Award-winning filmmaker and creator of iconic films and series including Kal Ho Naa Ho, Batla House, Rocket Boys, and Mumbai Diaries. With a career spanning cinema and streaming, Nikkhil is known for championing compelling, socially impactful stories.

🌟 Neeraj Churi – UK-based producer and founder of Lotus Visual Productions, Neeraj works across India, the UK, and North America with a strong focus on co-production and global storytelling. His films Sabar Bonda (Cactus Pears) and A Place of Our Own have earned acclaim at Sundance and SXSW respectively, while his mentorship and market initiatives continue to support emerging voices in independent cinema.

With their immense talent and cinematic insight, they will select one winning LGBTQ+ short film project for the prestigious KASHISH QDrishti Grant 2026 ✨

Backed by Lotus Visual Productions, with support from industry powerhouses like Guneet Monga Kapoor, Vikramaditya Motwane & Renuka Shahane! 🎥🌈

#KASHISH2026 #QDrishtiGrant #MeetTheJury #LGBTQCinema QueerStories

We’re proud to unveil the jury for the KASHISH QDrishti Film Grant 2026 🌈🎬

This year’s grant offers a ₹4 Lakh Production Grant + ₹50K Script Development Grant to an LGBTQ+ filmmaker to bring their queer short film to life — because powerful stories deserve powerful backing. ✨

🎬 Meet the Jury:

🌟 Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari – Nationally acclaimed filmmaker, writer, and producer behind emotionally rich stories like Nil Battey Sannata, Bareilly Ki Barfi, Panga, and Faadu. Known for her nuanced storytelling and deep human insight, Ashwiny brings a compassionate and visionary perspective to the jury panel.

🌟 Ishita Moitra – Award-winning screenwriter and creator celebrated for Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, Call Me Bae, Four More Shots Please! and Shakuntala Devi. Ishita’s bold, feminist, emotionally resonant storytelling has redefined contemporary mainstream narratives.

🌟 Nikkhil Advani – National Award-winning filmmaker and creator of iconic films and series including Kal Ho Naa Ho, Batla House, Rocket Boys, and Mumbai Diaries. With a career spanning cinema and streaming, Nikkhil is known for championing compelling, socially impactful stories.

🌟 Neeraj Churi – UK-based producer and founder of Lotus Visual Productions, Neeraj works across India, the UK, and North America with a strong focus on co-production and global storytelling. His films Sabar Bonda (Cactus Pears) and A Place of Our Own have earned acclaim at Sundance and SXSW respectively, while his mentorship and market initiatives continue to support emerging voices in independent cinema.

With their immense talent and cinematic insight, they will select one winning LGBTQ+ short film project for the prestigious KASHISH QDrishti Grant 2026 ✨

Backed by Lotus Visual Productions, with support from industry powerhouses like Guneet Monga Kapoor, Vikramaditya Motwane & Renuka Shahane! 🎥🌈

#KASHISH2026 #QDrishtiGrant #MeetTheJury #LGBTQCinema QueerStories

We’re proud to unveil the jury for the KASHISH QDrishti Film Grant 2026 🌈🎬

This year’s grant offers a ₹4 Lakh Production Grant + ₹50K Script Development Grant to an LGBTQ+ filmmaker to bring their queer short film to life — because powerful stories deserve powerful backing. ✨

🎬 Meet the Jury:

🌟 Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari – Nationally acclaimed filmmaker, writer, and producer behind emotionally rich stories like Nil Battey Sannata, Bareilly Ki Barfi, Panga, and Faadu. Known for her nuanced storytelling and deep human insight, Ashwiny brings a compassionate and visionary perspective to the jury panel.

🌟 Ishita Moitra – Award-winning screenwriter and creator celebrated for Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, Call Me Bae, Four More Shots Please! and Shakuntala Devi. Ishita’s bold, feminist, emotionally resonant storytelling has redefined contemporary mainstream narratives.

🌟 Nikkhil Advani – National Award-winning filmmaker and creator of iconic films and series including Kal Ho Naa Ho, Batla House, Rocket Boys, and Mumbai Diaries. With a career spanning cinema and streaming, Nikkhil is known for championing compelling, socially impactful stories.

🌟 Neeraj Churi – UK-based producer and founder of Lotus Visual Productions, Neeraj works across India, the UK, and North America with a strong focus on co-production and global storytelling. His films Sabar Bonda (Cactus Pears) and A Place of Our Own have earned acclaim at Sundance and SXSW respectively, while his mentorship and market initiatives continue to support emerging voices in independent cinema.

With their immense talent and cinematic insight, they will select one winning LGBTQ+ short film project for the prestigious KASHISH QDrishti Grant 2026 ✨

Backed by Lotus Visual Productions, with support from industry powerhouses like Guneet Monga Kapoor, Vikramaditya Motwane & Renuka Shahane! 🎥🌈

#KASHISH2026 #QDrishtiGrant #MeetTheJury #LGBTQCinema QueerStories

We’re proud to unveil the jury for the KASHISH QDrishti Film Grant 2026 🌈🎬

This year’s grant offers a ₹4 Lakh Production Grant + ₹50K Script Development Grant to an LGBTQ+ filmmaker to bring their queer short film to life — because powerful stories deserve powerful backing. ✨

🎬 Meet the Jury:

🌟 Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari – Nationally acclaimed filmmaker, writer, and producer behind emotionally rich stories like Nil Battey Sannata, Bareilly Ki Barfi, Panga, and Faadu. Known for her nuanced storytelling and deep human insight, Ashwiny brings a compassionate and visionary perspective to the jury panel.

🌟 Ishita Moitra – Award-winning screenwriter and creator celebrated for Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, Call Me Bae, Four More Shots Please! and Shakuntala Devi. Ishita’s bold, feminist, emotionally resonant storytelling has redefined contemporary mainstream narratives.

🌟 Nikkhil Advani – National Award-winning filmmaker and creator of iconic films and series including Kal Ho Naa Ho, Batla House, Rocket Boys, and Mumbai Diaries. With a career spanning cinema and streaming, Nikkhil is known for championing compelling, socially impactful stories.

🌟 Neeraj Churi – UK-based producer and founder of Lotus Visual Productions, Neeraj works across India, the UK, and North America with a strong focus on co-production and global storytelling. His films Sabar Bonda (Cactus Pears) and A Place of Our Own have earned acclaim at Sundance and SXSW respectively, while his mentorship and market initiatives continue to support emerging voices in independent cinema.

With their immense talent and cinematic insight, they will select one winning LGBTQ+ short film project for the prestigious KASHISH QDrishti Grant 2026 ✨

Backed by Lotus Visual Productions, with support from industry powerhouses like Guneet Monga Kapoor, Vikramaditya Motwane & Renuka Shahane! 🎥🌈

#KASHISH2026 #QDrishtiGrant #MeetTheJury #LGBTQCinema QueerStories

Presenting the Official Teaser of ‘Hills Don’t Dance Alone’.

The film will have its Mumbai Premiere on 7th June, at the Liberty Cinema on the closing day of the KASHISH Pride Film Festival. See you there!

@rohan_kanawade’s #CactusPears is a tender and deeply affecting Marathi drama that weaves queer love, grief, spirituality and self-acceptance into one of the most moving South Asian queer feature films of recent years.

Read @ianujradia’s verdict on Filme Shilmy website. Live now (link in bio).

Absolutely blown away by the sheer masterpiece #CactusPears, the best South-Asian queer feature in contemporary times. Despite a narrative primarily centred on grief, friendship and love, the film adapts an unhurried tone and manages to have something which films about emotions don’t frequently have… And that is reverence.

A wholeheartedly welcome change from the usual societal backlash, this one empowers identity and shows that milieu - urban or rural - is irrelevant when embracing the reality and encouraging authenticity.

Bravo @rohan_kanawade @lotusvisualpro @chicray @tonygill9 @tejinderj @bhushaan_manoj @suraaj_suman and the entire @cactuspearsfilm team for this cinematic gem. Releasing UK wide from 19th June 2026.

Curtain Call… Saturday it is ✨

[Teaser, Tara, Short Film, Film Festival]

We are thrilled to announce TARA’s Official Selection for the Mist LGBT Foundation’s Out & Loud Film Festival! Tara has been chosen as the CLOSING FILM on 31st May, 4.00pm at Lokshahir Annabhau Sathe Rangamandir. ✨

@mistlgbt @outloudpiqff

We are thrilled to announce TARA’s Official Selection for the Mist LGBT Foundation’s Out & Loud Film Festival! Tara has been chosen as the CLOSING FILM on 31st May, 4.00pm at Lokshahir Annabhau Sathe Rangamandir. ✨

@mistlgbt @outloudpiqff

Sabar Bonda comes home. Here is your chance to watch Sabar Bonda on the big screen at Liberty cinema on 6th June at 7.15 PM as part of @kashishfilmfest

@mohamedkhaki @tarantantra @chicray @sidmeer @bridgepostworks @_naren @moonweavefilms @hareeshreddypalli @jimsarbhforreal @nehacolours @bhushaan_manoj @suraaj_suman @jayshri_jagtap31@jumpingthepuddles @mandar_designs_sound @boloykumardoloi @anirban_3.b

Only 4 weeks to go until director Rohan Kanawade arrives in the UK for an epic three-week Q&A tour celebrating the UK release of CACTUS PEARS.

From London to Glasgow, Bristol to Bradford, Manchester to Leicester — audiences across the UK will have the chance to experience one of the most acclaimed and deeply moving films of the year, followed by special conversations with the filmmaker himself.

Thanks to the support of @BFI #NationalLottery funding.

Winner of the Sundance World Cinema Dramatic Grand Jury Prize and the SXSW London Jury Prize, CACTUS PEARS is a tender, beautiful and quietly radical love story that continues to connect with audiences around the world.

Tickets are on sale now via
cactuspearsfilm.com

#CactusPears #SabarBonda #RohanKanawade #UKTourFilmQandA IndependentFilm WorldCinema QueerCinema SouthAsianCinema LGBTQFilm PrideMonth BritishAsianCinema IndianCinema MarathiCinema BFISouthbank CurzonBloomsbury RioCinema TheGardenCinema TheCastleCinema ArznerCinema HOMEManchester WarwickArtsCentre Pictureville FilmhouseEdinburgh GlasgowFilmTheatre FACTLiverpool WatershedBristol ShowroomCinema MACBirmingham PhoenixLeicester ArtsPicturehouseCambridge DukesAtKomedia

Only 4 weeks to go until director Rohan Kanawade arrives in the UK for an epic three-week Q&A tour celebrating the UK release of CACTUS PEARS.

From London to Glasgow, Bristol to Bradford, Manchester to Leicester — audiences across the UK will have the chance to experience one of the most acclaimed and deeply moving films of the year, followed by special conversations with the filmmaker himself.

Thanks to the support of @BFI #NationalLottery funding.

Winner of the Sundance World Cinema Dramatic Grand Jury Prize and the SXSW London Jury Prize, CACTUS PEARS is a tender, beautiful and quietly radical love story that continues to connect with audiences around the world.

Tickets are on sale now via
cactuspearsfilm.com

#CactusPears #SabarBonda #RohanKanawade #UKTourFilmQandA IndependentFilm WorldCinema QueerCinema SouthAsianCinema LGBTQFilm PrideMonth BritishAsianCinema IndianCinema MarathiCinema BFISouthbank CurzonBloomsbury RioCinema TheGardenCinema TheCastleCinema ArznerCinema HOMEManchester WarwickArtsCentre Pictureville FilmhouseEdinburgh GlasgowFilmTheatre FACTLiverpool WatershedBristol ShowroomCinema MACBirmingham PhoenixLeicester ArtsPicturehouseCambridge DukesAtKomedia

Only 4 weeks to go until director Rohan Kanawade arrives in the UK for an epic three-week Q&A tour celebrating the UK release of CACTUS PEARS.

From London to Glasgow, Bristol to Bradford, Manchester to Leicester — audiences across the UK will have the chance to experience one of the most acclaimed and deeply moving films of the year, followed by special conversations with the filmmaker himself.

Thanks to the support of @BFI #NationalLottery funding.

Winner of the Sundance World Cinema Dramatic Grand Jury Prize and the SXSW London Jury Prize, CACTUS PEARS is a tender, beautiful and quietly radical love story that continues to connect with audiences around the world.

Tickets are on sale now via
cactuspearsfilm.com

#CactusPears #SabarBonda #RohanKanawade #UKTourFilmQandA IndependentFilm WorldCinema QueerCinema SouthAsianCinema LGBTQFilm PrideMonth BritishAsianCinema IndianCinema MarathiCinema BFISouthbank CurzonBloomsbury RioCinema TheGardenCinema TheCastleCinema ArznerCinema HOMEManchester WarwickArtsCentre Pictureville FilmhouseEdinburgh GlasgowFilmTheatre FACTLiverpool WatershedBristol ShowroomCinema MACBirmingham PhoenixLeicester ArtsPicturehouseCambridge DukesAtKomedia

Only 4 weeks to go until director Rohan Kanawade arrives in the UK for an epic three-week Q&A tour celebrating the UK release of CACTUS PEARS.

From London to Glasgow, Bristol to Bradford, Manchester to Leicester — audiences across the UK will have the chance to experience one of the most acclaimed and deeply moving films of the year, followed by special conversations with the filmmaker himself.

Thanks to the support of @BFI #NationalLottery funding.

Winner of the Sundance World Cinema Dramatic Grand Jury Prize and the SXSW London Jury Prize, CACTUS PEARS is a tender, beautiful and quietly radical love story that continues to connect with audiences around the world.

Tickets are on sale now via
cactuspearsfilm.com

#CactusPears #SabarBonda #RohanKanawade #UKTourFilmQandA IndependentFilm WorldCinema QueerCinema SouthAsianCinema LGBTQFilm PrideMonth BritishAsianCinema IndianCinema MarathiCinema BFISouthbank CurzonBloomsbury RioCinema TheGardenCinema TheCastleCinema ArznerCinema HOMEManchester WarwickArtsCentre Pictureville FilmhouseEdinburgh GlasgowFilmTheatre FACTLiverpool WatershedBristol ShowroomCinema MACBirmingham PhoenixLeicester ArtsPicturehouseCambridge DukesAtKomedia

Renuka Shahane talks about Tara!
Thank you so much @renukash710 for your incredibly kind words.

Tara received the KASHISH QDrishti Runners’ Up Grant supported by Renuka Shahane in 2023. To have Renuka ji watch and talk about this film feels like a full circle ✨

Tara screens at KASHISH on 7th June, 12.30pm. Book your tickets now!

SCREENING TODAY 🌵☀️

Still some tickets left for today’s special preview screening of CACTUS PEARS with a virtual Q&A with director Rohan Kanawade at 3pm at Rich Mix Cinema, Shoreditch.

Escape the 30 degree heat and come cool off in the cinema with the deeply moving love story you didn’t know you were waiting for. ✨

Winner of the Sundance World Cinema Dramatic Grand Jury Prize and the SXSW London Jury Prize.

📍 Rich Mix Cinema, Shoreditch
🕒 TODAY — 3PM
🎟 Tickets still available

Ahead of the UK release on 19 June.

#CactusPears #SabarBonda #QueerEast #QueerEastFestival #RichMix #RichMixCinema #RohanKanawade #LGBTQCinema #QueerCinema #GayCinema #SouthAsianCinema #MarathiCinema #IndianCinema #IndependentFilm #WorldCinema #ArthouseCinema #Sundance2025 #SXSWLondon #PrideMonth #SouthAsianHeritageMonth #FilmCommunity #CinemaLovers #LondonEvents #LondonCinema #Shoreditch #FilmFestival #UKFilmRelease #SupportIndependentCinema