Abhay Deol Champions Bandra Film Festival and FilmKaravan’s Growing, Community-First Vision

Mumbai, India: Bandra Film Festival (BFF) presented by FilmKaravan, continues to strengthen its commitment to independent cinema by creating meaningful platforms for filmmakers and audiences to connect, engage and grow together. Through a combination of on-ground screenings across Mumbai and a growing digital presence through its YouTube channel, the platform has emerged as a vibrant ecosystem for storytellers, cinephiles and industry professionals. Since its inception, the platform has hosted nearly 24 screenings across venues including Soho House Mumbai, Woodside Inn and The Habitat, while showcasing more than 180 films across its digital and physical platforms.

As part of its ongoing community-led programming, Bandra Film Festival will host a special Pride Month screening at Woodside Inn, Bandra on June 15 2026, featuring acclaimed films including The Sailor and the Chef, directed by Ashish Sawhny, Sunday by Arun Fulara (Screenwriter of Thamma) and The Contagious Cuddle by Deon Demamount. The screening will continue the festival’s tradition of curating theme based monthly line ups creating inclusive spaces for meaningful conversations around identity, representation and storytelling.

Ashish Sawhny, known for Netflix’s The Big Day and director of The Sailor and the Chef, says, “The Sailor & The Chef is delighted to be part of the Pride Curation by Bandra Film Festival a platform that encourages a unique collective viewing experience, joys of free-flowing conversations and connections especially with a live audience. This short, independent documentary chronicles the loves & lives of Piyush & Sushil who met entirely by chance 30 years ago at a theatre in Mumbai, India. Unbeknownst to each other, they were both gay & seeking partners in a time when the internet was nascent, & there was barely any out, queer community. The film traces their journeys, as they became a couple who created a space for themselves, as well as their discovery of dance as a way to combat aging- which has led to them winning hearts as ‘Dancing Daddies’.”

Abhay Deol, actor, filmmaker, advisory board at Bandra Film Festival shared, “Independent filmmakers and emerging talent often create some of the most compelling stories, but finding the right platform and audience can be a challenge. Through Bandra Film Festival and FilmKaravan, our effort has always been to welcome more films, more voices and more talent into the fold, giving them a space where their work can be seen, appreciated and celebrated. It is heartening to see the love and support the community continues to show, with audiences turning up not just to watch films but to engage with the creators behind them.”

Through its carefully curated programming, Bandra Film Festival showcases works from acclaimed filmmakers whose impactful storytelling deserves renewed attention. These gems include an eclectic mix of shorts & features such as Amu, a gem by Shonali Bose, starring Kokana Sen, The Bypass a dark crime short by Amit Kumar starring Irrfan Khan & Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Alankrita Shrivastava’s gritty short, Bandra Christmas, Sayani Gupta starrer hard hitting short film, Dear Men by Keith Gomes, and Kriti Kulhari starrer sensitive short film Maya by Vikas Chandra to name a few.

Andrea Manath, programmer, Bandra Film Festival, “Since launching in 2021, Bandra Film Festival has been driven by a simple belief: great stories deserve to be discovered, discussed and celebrated. What has been most rewarding over the years is seeing the community that has formed around those stories. Every screening brings together filmmakers, cinephiles and audiences from different backgrounds and the conversations that emerge are often as meaningful as the films themselves. As a programmer, I have seen firsthand how cinema can foster empathy, spark dialogue and create genuine connections between people. Our Pride Month showcase is an extension of that spirit celebrating diverse voices and stories that reflect the many experiences that make up our world, while creating a space where everyone feels seen, heard and welcome.”

Alongside these industry stalwarts, Bandra Film Festival actively supports the next generation of rising and promising filmmakers such as Rajat Kariya, director of the dramatically entertaining short film Amar Aaj Marega starring Prakash Jha & Saurabh Sachdeva, Maa Behen and Sacred Games writer Pooja Tolani’s short film Razaa backed by Suresh Triveni, while also showcasing impactful stories like Marching in the Dark by Kinshuk Surjan, Indian National Award winner Varun Tandon’s Thursday Special which was presented by Shoojit Sircar & Vikramaditya Motwane amongst many more.

The platform also celebrates established producers who consistently champion distinctive storytelling and nurture fresh creative voices.

Sanjay Bachani, founder of FilmKaravan said, “Bandra Film Festival was always envisioned as more than a screening platform. We set out to create a space where independent filmmakers could connect with audiences, build meaningful relationships, freely discuss cinema and discover new opportunities. The continued growth of Bandra Film Festival, both online and through our on-ground screenings, reflects a growing appetite for independent cinema and meaningful conversations around it. Seeing this community of filmmakers and audiences thrive together is one of the most rewarding measures of our impact.”