The 17th KASHISH Pride Festival culminated on Sunday June 7th at an extravagant awards ceremony held at Liberty Cinema. The highlight of the evening was the vivacious performance of Sona Mohapatra and Rani Ko-HE-nur aka Sushant Divgikar belting out several rabble-rousing songs that brought the 1000 strong audience on their feet.
The evening synchronised with this year’s festival theme of ‘Reflect, Resonate, Rejoice’, to celebrate both with the millennials and the Gen Z across the diverse LGBTQ+ spectrum and allies. Another performance featuring two gay couples Piyush & Sushil and Raj & Suraj, from two generations, was appreciated by everyone.
Spanish feature IVAN & HADOUM won the Best Screenplay award for IAN DE LA ROSA and Best Performance in a Lead Role award for trans actor SILVER CHICÓN ; while the Spanish short NOT CRAZY (No estamos locos) by Lucía Criado Rosas was awarded the Aditya Nanda Award for Best Film on Queer Mental Health.
Iranian feature THE CROWD (Jamaat) by Sahand Kabiri won the Best Narrative Feature award, and the Iranian short film NARMOOK by Ghazal Zoghinia won the newly introduced Best Genderation short award.
Another newly introduced award – Audience Award for Best First Feature – was won by the Marathi language feature film NA AAVADTI GOSHTA (A (Dis)Liked Story) by Sai Deodhar, via audience voting on the KASHISH Pride Film Festival app.
The Indian LGBTQ+ short film HILLS DON’T DANCE ALONE, by Shubham Negi won the Best Indian Narrative Short award as well as a special mention in the Riyad Wadia award for Emerging Indian Filmmaker category. The Ismat Chughtai award for Best Woman Filmmaker of South Asian Origin went to BHAVYA KARTHIKEYAN for her film to CHAYA PODI (Tea Powder); whereas the Riyad Wadia award went to INZAMAM MANJU NIZAM for the film SERVED COLD.
Sweeping even the category where both Indian and international student films competed, is an Indian short film UPON STARVATION (Upaasmaar) by Saurav Mahind from Film & Television Institute of India, which won the Best Student Short award. THE CRACK (Fatol) by Sankhajit Biswas was awarded a special mention in the Indian Narrative Shorts category.
The person who got the loudest applause, and deservedly so, was the visually impaired actor SHASHI BHUSHAN who was awarded a Special Jury Mention for his amazing performance in the short film YOUR FRAGRANCE (Tumhari Khushboo) by Onir. Also getting loud cheers were Trans filmmakers Fox Fisher & Lewis Hancox from UK who were among the audiences, and received a Special Jury mention in the Documentary Shorts category for their film LIFE OF KAI.
Sridhar Rangayan, festival director, said “While the filmmakers bring the extraordinary content, the audiences bring in the exquisite vibe – both of which were in full display over the five days of the 17th edition of KASHISH Pride Film Festival! While being back at Liberty Cinema elevated the festival experience for audiences, what to us was heartening was that a very diverse segment of young women, trans & non-binary audiences crowded the theatres. The KASHISH family is expanding and we are thankful to each and everyone for making this year’s edition a huge success.”
National Award winning filmmaker Shonali Bose who was on the Narrative Jury said, “I am deeply honored to be part of this jury and the films that we saw resonated deeply. We must remember that we must resist against the oppressive forces, because dark times can only be fought if we are together, and we must stay together.”
Another jury member National Award winning actress Parvathy Thiruvotu said, “Coming from a conservative environment in my early days, I was not exposed to issues related to the LGBTQ+ community. Being part of this jury panel and watching the films felt deeply therapeutic and healing for me. It was a privilege not only to engage with these stories but also to witness the courage, vulnerability, and creativity reflected in each submission. I am immensely grateful for the opportunity to have been part of this process and to experience perspectives that resonated far beyond the screen.”
The Narrative Jury comprised of actresses Parvathy Thiruvothu (Take Off, Ullozhukku, Qarib Qarib Single) & Rajshri Deshpande (Sacred Games, Trail by Fire, Bapya) and filmmaker Shonali Bose (Amu, Margarita with a Straw, The Sky Is Pink)
The jury also handed over the Best International Narrative Short to the UK-Australian co-production NEVER NEVER NEVER by John Sheedy, produced by the Iris Prize Festival.
The Unity in Diversity Best Documentary Feature award was won by the Mexican film NIÑXS by Kani Lapuerta and the Unity in Diversity Best Documentary Short award THANKS BABS! by Jen Rainin & Rivkah Beth Medow.
Documentary Jury member Jaydeep Sarkar said, “What is unique about queer resistance is that we have fought forces that tried to make us invisible — with joy, gumption, and the resilience to exist on our own terms. Every film screened at the KASHISH Pride Film Festival is proof of that. In times when hatred is a much transacted currency, our joy and our magic are life affirming and life giving. Year after year, this festival is a gift to the world — to queer and non-queer folks alike, who come to partake in our magic.”
The Documentary Jury comprised of filmmakers Shaunak Sen (All The Breathes, Cities of Sleep, Airborne) & Jaydeep Sarkar (Nayantara’s Necklace, Feels Like Ishq, Rainbow Rishta) and producer Monisha Tyagarajan (Clowning with Shakespeare, Bhangaar, The Hunt for Veerappan).
Other Special Jury Mention included DELAY by Wang Han-Xuan in the Student Shorts category, and SISTER OF MINE by André Vaara in the Genderation Shorts category.
The Student Shorts Jury comprised of actress Maanvi Gagroo (Four More Shots Please! , TVF Tripling, Made in Heaven), academician Rahul Puri (Whistling Woods) and director Shazia Iqbal (Bebak, Dhadak 2)
The Genderation Shorts Jury comprised of National Award winning actress Anjali Patil (Newton, Kaala), author Shals Mahajan (Timmi in Tangles, Reva and Prisha) and author & song writer Sharif Rangnekar.
Sahand Kabiri, director of the Iranian film The Crowd said, “When darkness fights darkness, it’s ordinary people who end up paying the price. That’s why bringing people closer together matters more than ever—through unity, love, understanding, and the effort to build bridges instead of walls. I hope The Crowd can be a small brick in building this invisible bridge between the worlds.”
“I am thrilled to celebrate the success of Spanish cinema at KASHISH Pride Film Festival 2026 and am truly grateful and proud that Spanish films have been recognised at this year’s festival, with Ivan & Hadoum honoured with awards for Best Actor and Best Screenplay, and Not Crazy receiving the Aditya Nanda Award for Best Film on Mental Health. These achievements reflect the creativity and talent of Spanish filmmakers and demonstrate how these stories resonated with both the jury and audiences at KASHISH. They are especially meaningful given the exceptional level of creativity, artistic excellence, and storytelling showcased throughout the festival”, said Elena Orland, Director, Tourism Office of Spain in India.
Silver Chicon, lead trans actor of Ivan & Hadoum who won the Best Performance in a Lead Role said, “Thanks for this award KASHISH Pride Film Festival! I feel really grateful and happy to receive this award and recognition for my work. This was my first time in front of a camera and doing cinema, so I feel over the moon right now! Also now that trans rights are under attack worldwide, it feels particularly important to highlight and support stories that centre trans people. There is no LGB without the T, and there’s no queer liberation without trans people in it.”
Shashi Bhushan, the sight impaired lead actor of Your Frangrance (Tumhari Khusboo) who was accorded a Special Mention as an actor said, “I am absolutely thrilled to receive the Jury’s Special Mention for my acting in Onir’s movie Tumhari Khushboo at KASHISH Pride Film Festival. I am an artist and not an actor. But, KASHISH Pride Film Festival made me an actor today by recognising my work, not because of sympathy but for my hard work. This is a huge achievement for people like me. Thank you KASHISH and Jury members for recognising me and my work.”
Shubham Negi, director of Hills Don’t Dance Alone said, “We are still not over the amount of love we got for our screening and the award. To receive this award from the eminent jury of Shonali Bose, Parvathy, and Rajshri Deshpande is a feeling our team is still drenched in. To have them watch the film alone was an honour; to win from their hands is a milestone for us. When the film was doing international festival rounds, we knew we wanted the Mumbai premiere to happen at KASHISH, for it is the largest bundle of queer joy that accumulates to watch queer cinema here. And I have to say it was the best decision. Watching the film with queer people hooting, screaming, aww-ing, laughing, has given us a lifetime experience. This is a testament to this joyous space that Sridhar and Saagar have created. This award belongs to all the team members who worked on this film with utmost love and empathy. Here’s to more nuanced queer and non-conforming stories from the Himalayas and beyond.”
Bhavya Kartikeyan, director of Chayapodi said, “I am honoured to have Chayapodi screened at KASHISH Pride Film Festival and to receive the Ismat Chughtai Award. Our film set in reimagines marginalized stories, celebrating joy, while inviting us to reconsider whose voices have been left out of history and what happens when they write their own. This recognition is deeply encouraging at this stage of my journey and special coming from a festival that has long celebrated queer stories. My gratitude to the cast, crew, jury, festival team and audience.”
Inzamam Nizam, director of Served Cold said, “This big win for my very first film, is something I’m still processing. As a newcomer, you spend a lot of time questioning yourself and the choices you make. This recognition has given me a huge boost of confidence and reassured me that I’m on the right lane. What this means to me is beyond words. I’m incredibly grateful to KASHISH and the Riyad Wadia award jury, and I truly can’t imagine a better start to my journey as a filmmaker.
Rivkah & Jen, filmmakers of Thanks Babs! said, “We are deeply honored for Thanks, Babs! to receive the Unity in Diversity Best Documentary Short Award at the 17th KASHISH Pride Film Festival. Our film follows Babs Daitch, an octogenarian who races through life with mischief, humor, and zero intention of slowing down. Her story is one of reinvention, resilience, and optimism, which feels right at home at a festival that champions exactly this kind of bold, joyful visibility. Thank you to the jury, to the K.F. Patil Charitable Trust, and to KASHISH for creating a space where queer stories from around the world truly belong.”
John Sheedy, director of the film Never Never Never said, “We are so honoured to participate once again in the KASHISH Pride Film Festival, and this time receive this award. Never Never Never talks about love and community support in a time that where we need them most, so it is extremely rewarding to see the film finding a platform in South Asia’s largest LGBTIQA film festival.”
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