With my master, Bhadran sir.
I first stood beside him as a direction assistant 25 years ago โ and not a spark of his fire has dimmed since.
What a manโฆ
Still breathing cinema, speaking of life, dreaming endlessly โ with a restless, radiant energy.
Meeting him feels like being lifted โ a quiet evening turning into something that soars beyond the ordinary.
A beautiful time, shared with family โ filled with warmth, stories, and a kind of magic that lingers.
What an experience watching Masthishkamaranam! ๐ฅ
A film that doesnโt just tell a story โ it reflects society. The depth of the content is so powerful that anyone can interpret it through their own social lens. Thatโs the beauty of meaningful cinema.
Kudos to Krishand for such brilliant direction โ bold, layered, and thought-provoking.
Rajisha Vijayan delivers a superb performance. She truly stretches her craft and explores every shade of her acting ability. A commanding presence on screen!
And what a visual treat by Prayag Mukundan โ the colors, the angles, the composition, the visual grammar โ simply astounding. Every frame speaks.
Congratulations to Varkey for the peppy, energetic tracks that elevate the filmโs rhythm beautifully.
My heartfelt appreciation to the entire team who poured their passion into this project. And a special salute to the producer for taking such a daring and courageous step in backing this film.
Cinema like this deserves to be celebrated. ๐
Work-in-Progress (WIP) Lab 2025
The Work-in-Progress Lab 2025 received 50 entries in 14 languages from 7 countries. Of these, five films have been selected, representing three languages, including one IndiaโAustralia co-production, โChevittorma,โ and โKhoriya,โ backed by Ashim Ahluwalia (known for Daddy, Miss Lovely among others).
This yearโs esteemed WIP Lab mentors include Philippa Campbell, Sandrine Cassidy, Kiki Fung, Nitin Baid, and Sanyukta Kaza.
The WIP Lab provides selected filmmakers the invaluable opportunity to screen rough cuts of their films before an international panel of advisorsโincluding festival directors, producers, editors, and criticsโwho provide expert feedback to help refine their final cuts. Each project is also paired with an international editor for two dedicated sessions in the Editing sessions.
Since its inception in 2007, the WIP Lab has nurtured numerous acclaimed films that have gone on to premiere at major international film festivals โ including Shape of Momo (WIP 2024), which went on to win the HAF Goes to Cannes Award, two awards at the Busan International Film Festival 2025 and screened at the San Sebastian International Film Festival
Selected Films โ WIP Lab 2025:
โ Khoriya โ Director: Vishwendra Singh
โ Azhi โ Director: Hessa Salih
โ Chevittorma โ Director: Leo Thaddeus
โ Ustad Bantoo โ Director: Arsh Jain
โ Yarsa Gambu โ Director: Mohan Belwal