South Asia's First Borderless Digital Film Festival
Vishal Bhardwaj
Director, screenwriter, producer, music composer
Vishal Bhardwaj is known for his work in Hindi cinema, and is the recipient of a Filmfare Award and seven National Film Awards in four categories. He garnered critical acclaim and several accolades for writing and directing the Indian adaptations of three tragedies by William Shakespeare: Maqbool (2003) from Macbeth, Omkara (2006) from Othello, and Haider (2014) from Hamlet.
Anjum Rajabali
Screenwriter, Actor
Anjum Rajabali has written films likeDrohkaal (1994), Ghulam (1998), The Legend of Bhagat Singh (2002)andRaajneeti (2010).
He is the Head of Screenwriting at Whistling Woods as well as the Honorary Head of Screenplay Writing at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), a course that he founded in 2004. Apart from being a script consultant on several films, he also conducts coveted workshops, seminars and conferences on screenwriting that have helped writers in India and abroad.
Nandita Das
Actor, Director
Nandita Das has acted in more than 40 feature films in ten different languages. Das has been acclaimed for numerous performances, including in Fire (1996), Earth (1998), Bawandar (2000), Kannathil Muthamittal (2002), Azhagi (2002), Kamli (2006), and Before The Rains (2007). Her directorial debut was with Firaaq (2008), which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival, traveled to more than 50 festivals, and won more than 20 awards.
Ali Zafar
Actor, singer-songwriter, Producer, Writer
Ali Zafar is a Pakistani singer-songwriter, model, actor, producer, screenwriter and painter. Zafar started out on Pakistani TV before becoming a popular musician. He later also established a career in Bollywood and his success led many Pakistani actors to venture into Hindi films. He has received five Lux Style Awards and a Filmfare Award nomination.
Vinay Pathak
Actor
Vinay Pathak is a much-loved actor and host who has given us brilliant comedies like Bheja Fry (1 and 2), Khosla Ka Ghosla, besides enacting memorably in Johnny Gaddaar, Badlapur, etc. His production Dasvidaniya poignantly explored a common man’s psyche. His popular hosting assignments include House Arrest, Kahani Puri Filmy Hai, Ranvir Vinay Aur Kaun?
Eamin Haque Bobby
Actress & Producer (bangladesh)
Bobby is a well-known Bangladeshi beautiful film actress. She is the actress of the Dhallywood film industry who came to the limelight with the movie Dehorokkhi in 2013. Nowadays, she is the most demandable actress in the Dhallywood film industry for her magnificent performance in the showbiz arena. Furthermore, she is one of the most popular & leading female actresses in Bangladesh. She also produced the first Bangladeshi super hero film named by "Bizli". She has received couple of local & international awards for her outstanding performance.
Tutul Chowdhuri
Actor (BANGLADESH)
Khairul Alam Chowdhury Tutul is
popularly known as TUTUL CHOWDHURY. He is a Bangladeshi actor, producer, story
writer who works in Bangladeshi films and television dramas. He is also a stage
performer and theatre director as well as an organiser. Chowdhury is also an
educator as well as a motivational speaker. Chowdhury has a
degree of post-graduation in Film and Media from Stamford University,
Bangladesh. He is applauded highly for his versatile and multi-creative
activities. Through his acting career spanning over 20 years, Chowdhury has
established himself as one of the most popular and influential media
personalities in Bangladesh. He earned a lot of recognition and awards at home
and abroad. His most discussed film "Agamikal"(2022) is a
masterpiece.
Sakib Sonet
Director (BANGLADESH)
Sakib Sonet is a Bangladeshi film director, screenwriter and producer.
He has received a couple of Awards as a director and producer respectively. He
was also a theatre performer of Dhaka Padatik, which is one of the leading
theatre Institution in Bangladesh.
Shakib Khan
Actor (Bangladesh)
Shakib Khan is an actor in the Bangladeshi film industry. He made his debut in Ananta Bhalobasha (1999), though it did not lead to widespread fame. Shortly after a few years, Khan established himself as one of the most successful actors in Bengali Cinema. In his career, Khan has received various awards, including three National Film Awards for Best Actor, for Bhalobaslei Ghor Bandha Jay Na (2010), Khodar Pore Ma (2012), and Aro Bhalobashbo Tomay (2015) andEight Meril Prothom Alo Awards.
Rahul Mittra
Producer & Actor
Award-winning filmmaker & actor Rahul Mittra: Biography’-Former Times of India journalist, Rahul Mittra is an award-winning filmmaker, actor & branding expert who has been credited to have changed the narrative of indian cinema from NRI-centric films to heartland films with his debut film saheb biwi aur gangster in 2011. Since then he’s come a long way and has produced produced pathbreaking films including Saheb biwi aur gangster series, Bullett Raja, Revolver Rani, Sarkar 3, Torbaaz and others,
emerging as a respectable name in the Indian film industry by backing good content. A pass out of St John’s High School, this Chandigarh bred filmmaker is also the brand advisor to the government of Arunachal Pradesh and has recently carried out a successful & talked about campaign on the 50 years of statehood. Rahul has been honoured for his contribution to cinema at Norway, Poland, Hungary, Vietnam, San Francisco, Tashkent film festivals and is a regular guest speaker on cinema & mass communication at major Indian & global events.
Brahmanand Singh
Director, Author, Producer
Brahmanand S Singh, a National-Award winning filmmaker, has been vastly recognized for his experiential and inspirational biopics on iconic legends like RD Burman and Jagjit Singh Pancham Unmixed & Kaagaz Ki Kashti), movies that have acquired a cult status, in addition to social and emotional cause-based films like Jhalki, a story of hope, courage, compassion and self-belief against the backdrop of a story of lost childhood & human trafficking. Many other films like Riding on a unbeam, Through our Eyes, Ashgari Bai, Ragpickers, Uncaging the Body and A Burden of Love continue to be popular and loved.
Sonam Kapoor
Actress
Sonam Kapoor Ahuja is an Indian actress who appears in Bollywood films. Kapoor is one of the highest-paid actresses in the industry and is the recipient of several awards, including a Filmfare and a National Film Award. Kapoor supports the raising awareness of breast cancer and LGBT rights. Known in the media for her outspoken personality, she is frequently credited as one of Bollywood's most fashionable celebrities.
Nilendra Deshapriya
Film producer (Sri Lanka)
Nilendra Deshapriya studied drama and theatre at school and at the age of fourteen he wrote his first stage play "The Horse Carriage" inspired by the film "Rashoman" by the legendary Akira Kurosawa which became a huge success.
SS Rajamouli
Filmmaker
Rajamouli is an Indian film director and screenwriter, known for his works primarily in Telugu cinema. He is known for directing high fantasy works such as Magadheera (2009), Eega (2012), the two part Baahubali: The Beginning (2015) and Baahubali 2: The Conclusion (2017). Rajamouli has garnered several awards including three National Film Awards, four Filmfare Awards South, five state Nandi Awards, and the IIFA Award. In 2016, he was honoured with the Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian honour for his contributions towards the field of Art.
Rajit Kapur
Actor, Director
Rajit Kapur is an Indian film and theater actor and director. He is known for his portrayal of Mahatma Gandhi in the 1996 film, The Making of the Mahatma.
Humayun Saeed
Actor, Producer
Humayun Saeed is a Pakistani actor and producer. Saeed is also a co-founder of the media production house Six Sigma Entertainment Plus which produces television drama serials and commercial movies. He has appeared in dozens of Pakistani television dramas and limited number of films, and earned numerous accolades, including Lux Style Awards and ARY Film Awards. Saeed enjoys substantial fan following in Pakistan since the beginning of his career and was often ranked amongst the highest paid TV actors of his time.
Pooja Bhatt
Director, Producer, Actress
Pooja Bhatt is an Indian film director, actress, and producer. Her most well-known films in the 1990s included Sadak (1991), Junoon, Jaanam, Phir Teri Kahani Yaad Aayee, Sir (1993) and Guneghar (1995). She made her directorial debut with Paap in 2004, starring John Abraham and Udita Goswami. Since then, she has made four more directorial ventures: Holiday (2006), Dhokha (2007), Kajraare (2010) and Jism 2 (2012).
Naresh Kumar KC
Director (NEPAL)
Dr. Naresh Kumar KC is a working screenwriter and director from Nepal. He owns a film production Company NKK Films Productions. His professional career in film-making started back in 2003 with educational and health related documentaries for United Nations, Nepal Tourism Board and other Government and Non-Government Organizations. Since then, he has written, directed, produced and edited many documentaries, short films and a feature film so far. Rooted to the core of social realism, his stories and visuals portray the murky depths of rural lives of upper Himalayas of Nepal.
Alyy Khan
Actor
Alyy Khan is a popular actor and host who has made a mark on international stage. His popular work includes Luck By Chance, Don 2, A Mighty Heart, Indian Summers, Kash-m-kash, Ssshhh… Koi Hai to name a few. His famous hosting assignments include the first Indian Telly Awards (2001), Foodistan (2012).
Mahira Khan
Actress
Often regarded as Pakistan's biggest superstar, Mahira Khan is adored and lauded for playing a variety of roles and characters since she embarked on her acting career in 2011. Mahira rose to prominence by playing the lead role in the Pakistani drama 'Humsafar'. Since then Mahira has played lead roles in the country's most popular television dramas and movies, including Shehrezaat, Sadqay Tumhare, Bin Roye, Ho Mann Jahan and Verna. With three Pakistani box office hits to her name, Mahira was then cast opposite Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan in Hindi film'Raees' in 2017.
Onir
Director, Film Producer, Screenwriter, Film editor
Onir is an Indian film and TV director, editor, screenwriter and producer. He is best known for his film My Brother…Nikhil, based on the life of Dominic d'Souza, starring Sanjay Suri. Nikhil was one of the first mainstream Hindi films to deal with AIDS and same-sex relationships.
Onir won the National Award for his film I Am. He has won 13 total film awards. His next film Shab was released in 2017, starring Raveena Tandon.
Rekha Bhardwaj
Playback singer
Rekha Bhardwaj is an Indian singer and live performer. She has received two Filmfare and one National Awards. In addition to Hindi, she has also sung in Bengali, Marathi, Punjabi and Malayalam languages.
Subhash Kapoor
Director, Film Producer, Screenwriter
Subhash Kapoor is an Indian film director, producer and screenwriter. He was a political journalist, and later became known for directing satirical comical dramas like Phas Gaye Re Obama, Jolly LLB and Jolly LLB 2.
Varun Grover
Comedian, Script-Writer
Varun Grover is an Indian comedian, screenwriter, and lyricist. He won the award for Best Lyricist at the 63rd National Film Awards in 2015. He was one of the writers for the Netflix web series "Sacred Games". He has also written for many TV shows like The Great Indian Comedy Show (2004-06), 10 Ka Dum (2008), and Jai Hind! (2009-13). He has also worked as a lyricist for many films like Gangs of Wasseypur Part 1 & 2, Dum Laga Ke Haisha, Udta Punjab and Sui Dhaaga.
Sonya Jehan
Actress
Jehan made her film debut with the romantic historic film Taj Mahal: An Eternal Love Story (2005) opposite Kabir Bedi, wherein she played the role of Mumtaz Mahal, who is betrayed by the film's central character. She is also known for her roles in the critically acclaimed and commercially successful films like My Name Is Khan (2010),The Reluctant Fundamentalist (2012), and Ho Mann Jahaan (2015).
Srijana Subba
Actress (Nepal)
Srijana Subba is an actress, known for Dying Candle (2016), Loot (2012)andMr. Virgin (2018).
Rabin Acharya
Cinematographer (NEPAL)
Rabin Acharya is a cinematographer, known for Dying Candle (2016), for which the film won the ‘Best Cinematography in a Feature’ award at the 6th Queens World Film Festival, New York.