Kashish 2025 opens with power, pride and performances
South Asia's biggest queer film festival kicks off with heartfelt tributes, strong stories and star presence. The opening night honored A. Revathi with the Rainbow Warrior Award and felicitated Dr. Trinetra Haldar Gummaraju. Actors Akash Menon and Tawseef Mir received the Rainbow Voices Award for 'We Are Faheem & Karun'
The 16th edition of the Kashish Mumbai International Queer Film Festival opened to a packed house and thunderous applause, celebrating queer narratives, trailblazing filmmakers, and community solidarity.
Held at Liberty Cinema, the opening night brought together acclaimed artists, industry veterans, and fresh voices, setting the tone for five days of cinema, conversation, and connection.
Festival director Sridhar Rangayan welcomed an enthusiastic audience alongside a star-studded lineup that included Guneet Monga, Vikramaditya Motwane, Abhishek Chaubey, Shruti Seth, Onir, Sujata Mehta, Sudhanshu Saria, and Siddharth Menon.
Advisory board members Arunaraje Patil, Meghna Ghai Puri, Renuka Shahane, and Viveck Vaswani were also in attendance.
Vikramaditya Motwane, Guneet Monga, ,Abhishek Chaubey and Renuka Shahane with the Runner-Up of Kashish QDrishti Film Grant, Rayyan Monkey for the script 'Us Girls'
Filmmakers Abhishek Chaubey, Vikramaditya Motwane, Onir and (right) actors Rajeshwari Sachdev and Rajit Kapur
Sharing her excitement, Guneet Monga said, 'I feel extremely honoured to be a part of the jury this year.
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Being a part of Kashish, reading these scripts has actually expanded my vocabulary. I got to know about more filmmakers—it really felt beautiful.'
Vikramaditya Motwane echoed her thoughts: 'It was a pleasure to read all the LGBTQ+ scripts. We learnt a lot and it gave us great insight into the queer world.'
Abhishek Chaubey added, 'It was an absolute privilege to be a part of the Kashish jury. All six scripts were great—it was tough to pick one.
I wish we could award all of them.'
One of the highlights of the evening was the Rainbow Voices Award presented to actors Akash Menon and Tawseef Mir for their performances in 'We Are Faheem & Karun', directed by Onir.
Akash Menon shared, 'I'm deeply grateful and honored to receive the KASHISH Rainbow Voices Award. *We Are Faheem & Karun* was more than just a debut — it was a journey into truth, identity, and love. To be recognized by South Asia's biggest LGBTQ+ film festival, and to follow in the footsteps of incredible artists, is truly humbling.
I'm especially grateful to my director, Onir, who was a guiding light during filming and continues to be one in life.
This recognition affirms the power of storytelling to spark empathy and change.'
Tawseef Mir added, 'This honor means the world to me. *We Are Faheem & Karun* isn't just my debut — it's a piece of my heart, rooted in the soil I come from. To be recognized for a story so close to home is truly overwhelming. I'm deeply thankful to Onir sir, the team, and everyone who believed in a boy from Srinagar with a dream.'
Gay rights pioneer Ashok Row Kavi and trans activist, author, and artist A. Revathi
Celebrated trans activist, author, and artist A. Revathi was conferred the prestigious Rainbow Warrior Award, which honors LGBTQ+ artists and activists whose work creates lasting impact in the mainstream space. The award was presented by gay rights pioneer Ashok Row Kavi, the first-ever recipient of this honour.
In a moving speech, Revathi said, 'When my biographical documentary 'Naam Revathi' was selected and announced as a happy surprise at this film event, the senior social activists who guided us—especially Ashok Row Kavi—were honored with the KASHISH Rainbow Award in 2014.
I consider it an honor to have been a voice for sexual minorities, especially as a writer, theatre practitioner, filmmaker, and artist—carrying the tools of struggle for over thirty years.
I am especially grateful for this award given to me by my own LGBTQ community, and I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the organizers of the film festival. This recognition inspires me to continue and do even more.'
Actor and activist Dr Trinetra Haldar Gummaraju
Actor and activist Dr.
Trinetra Haldar Gummaraju, best known for Made in Heaven 2, was also felicitated on opening night. 'I'm so deeply honoured to be felicitated by Kashish, a space that has empowered and celebrated queer creatives for 15 years. Since my move to Mumbai, to be held by your own community this way—there is nothing more beautiful. I'm committed to using my voice to tell more and more queer stories,' she said.
The evening paid tribute to veteran filmmaker Shyam Benegal, with actors Rajeshwari Sachdev and Rajit Kapur sharing heartfelt memories from their work on the iconic Sooraj Ka Saatvan Ghoda, directed by Benegal.
Cultural performances added to the festivities, including a graceful Bharatanatyam recital by Nalanda Kendra and an electrifying performance by drag icon Rani KoHenur / Sushant Divgikar.
With 152 films from 48 countries, along with engaging panel discussions and live performances, Kashish 2025 promises to be a vibrant celebration of identity, storytelling, and the unshakable spirit of the queer community.
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