Our Bureau
New York, NY
The 25th annual New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF) concluded this weekend to resounding applause, with packed theaters, emotional premieres, and a glittering red carpet that drew major names from both Indian Cinema and Hollywood. Taking place June 19–22 at the Village East by Angelika, NYIFF 2025 saw its most successful editions ever—with most screenings sold out and nearly every other program at capacity.
A special appearance by Robert De Niro at the North American Gala Premiere of Tanvi the Great—directed by his longtime friend Anupam Kher—was one of the most unforgettable moments of the festival. The event, attended by Anupam and lead actress Shubhangi, drew a full house and set the tone for an exhilarating three-day celebration of cinema. Audiences packed the Village East by Angelika theater to experience bold, original, and deeply resonant films from India’s most exciting filmmakers.
Esteemed artists including Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Rasika Dugal, Rahul Bhat, Anurag Kashyap, Shonali Bose, Nilesh Maniyar and Rituparna Sengupta joined the celebration, along with a majority of the festival’s directors, screenwriters, and producers—many of whom traveled internationally to present their work.
NYIFF 2025 Jury Awards
Best Film: Angammal, dir. Vipin Radhakrishnan
Best Debut Film (in collaboration with the Film Critics Circle of India): Humans in the Loop, dir. Aranya Sahay
Best Director: Rima Das, Village Rockstars 2
New York Women in Film & Television Excellence in Directing Award: Shonali Bose (A Fly on the Wall) and Rima Das (Village Rockstars 2)
Best Screenplay: Second Chance, written by Subhadra Mahajan
Best Actor: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, I’m Not An Actor
Best Actress: Sharmila Tagore, The Ancient
Best Feature Documentary: A Fly on the Wall, dir. Shonali Bose and Nilesh Maniyar
Best Short Documentary: An Arrested Moment, dir. Dev Benegal
Best Short Narrative: Thursday Special, dir. Varun Tandon
Highlights included:
Opening Night: The Fable by Raam Reddy, an award-winning, surreal psychological drama starring Manoj Bajpayee.
Centerpiece: Kennedy, directed by Anurag Kashyap, with Rahul Bhat and Sunny Leone in searing roles.
Closing Night: Little Thomas, a heartwarming Goan family drama featuring Rasika Dugal and Gulshan Devaiah.
Two signature masterclasses rounded out the weekend: a behind-the-scenes talk with Smriti Mundhra on her journey from St. Louis Superman to Indian Matchmaking, and a conversation with Anurag Kashyap on the evolving landscape of Indian cinema.
The festival also paid tribute to the late Shyam Benegal with a restored 4K screening of Manthan, and featured An Arrested Moment, a short documentary on James Ivory’s lifelong connection to Indian art, directed by Dev Benegal.
Aseem Chhabra, Festival Director, shared, “This was a monumental year. To have our theaters full, our filmmakers heard, and legends like Robert De Niro join us—it reaffirms that NYIFF continues to be a cultural force for Indian cinema in the U.S.”
Suman Gollamudi, Executive Director of the Indo-American Arts Council, added, “We’re deeply grateful to New York audiences for their energy, generosity, and love. NYIFF is a home for Indian storytellers—and this year, we felt that bond more than ever.”
IAAC Chairman Dr. Nirmal Mattoo added, “This festival began with a dream to elevate Indian voices on the global stage. Twenty-five years later, that vision is lighting up America.”
Presented by the Indo-American Arts Council, NYIFF is the longest-running festival in the U.S. dedicated to independent Indian cinema. Since 2001, it has championed voices that reflect the complexity, beauty, and urgency of India’s cinematic tradition.
