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KASHISH 2025 FESTIVAL REPORT

KashishFilmFest

KASHISH 2025 16th KASHISH Pride Film Festival

KASHISH 2025 Festival Catalog can be accessed HERE

KASHISH 2025

Highlights  KASHISH 2025, the 16th edition of KASHISH Pride Film Festival, South Asia’s biggest LGBTQIA+ film festival, was held as an in-person edition at Cinepolis Andheri West, Alliance Française de Bombay and St. Andrews Auditorium and from June 4-8, 2025.

 Online edition of KASHISH 2025 was held between August 15 to September 15, 2025 at an online platform

 KASHISH 2025 events were successful with good attendance, and engagement with audience members.  As always a fresh and diverse programming of LGBTQ+ Films, the Panel discussions and Opening & Closing ceremonies were appreciated by one and all.

 Star-studded Opening & Closing ceremonies with some awesome performances enthralled all.  The shift to suburban venues – with two screens at Cinepolis Andheri West and opening at St.Andrews Auditorium – was appreciated by many for the geographical ease, but many missed the vibe of the Liberty Cinema. 3

KASHISH 2025

Highlights

5 Days 3 Venues 5 Panel Discussions

40 Filmmaker Q&As

152 Films 48 Countries 32 Features

30 Indian

75 Female

filmmakers

Filmmakers

2International

29 Trans/ Non-

filmmakers in Attendance

binary Filmmakers

21 Returning Filmmakers

Premieres

20 World 12 International 50 Asian

1,835 INDIVIDUAL Registrations

9,480 Seats filled at all venues

KASHISH 2025

Highlights Trans/ Queer

Returning Audience

65.8%

New Audience

44.2%

12%

NonLGBTQ audience

28%

LGBTQ audience 72%

Female

29.5%

Male

58.5%

50 & Above

4.3%

30-49 years

18-29 years

52.2%

43.5%

KASHISH 2025

Social Media

Full Social Media Report HERE

KASHISH 2025

Overview  152 films, from 48 countries with 32 feature length narrative and documentary films. KASHISH 2025 Festival Catalog can be accessed HERE

 The festival’s theme was “Love = Peace" and it was held between June 5-8th at 2 screens at Cinepolis Andheri West and Alliance Française de Bombay. Opening Ceremony was on June 4th at St. Andrews Auditorium.

 38 Indian LGBTQ+ films were screened at the festival with 5 Indian feature films. 20 World, 12 International, 50 Asian and 29 Indian Premieres. 56 films and 5 screenplays competed in 12 categories for a total cash award of Rs. 6 lacs.

 29 films by Trans, Non-Binary filmmakers, 75 films by Women filmmakers, 41 LGBTQ+ filmmakers, 30 Indian filmmakers and 21 Returning Filmmakers.

 There was fantastic celebrity presence with Vikramaditya Motwane, Guneet Monga Kapur, Abishek Dubey, Ila Arun, K.K.Raina, Soni Razdan, Renuka Shahane, Tanuja Chandra, Shishir Sharma, Shruti Seth, Payal Kapadia, Debashish Makhija, Siddharth Menon, Sudhanshu Saria, Onir, Arunaraje Patil, Meghna Ghai Puri, Satya Rai Nagpaul, Viveck Vaswani, etc. at the festival.

 The Networking Brunch, supported by the Institut Francais, brought together all the participating filmmakers with some of the top industry professionals for an informal tete-e-tete.

KASHISH 2025

Overview

 Performance by Rani KoHeNoor, Bharatnatyam dance performance by Nalanda Dance Academy at the Opening Night, and contemporary dance performance by The House of Sway and song performance by Bombay Noor.

 Well known hosts Rohini Ramnathan, Renil Abraham, Sid Makkar and SeduQtress SoniQa were the MCs for the Opening & Closing ceremonies.

 Tribute was offered to the doyen of Indian Cinema Shyam Benegal, who was also the Festival Patron of KASHISH since 2012. The festival screened his iconic film Mandi (1983) with many of the cast members in attendance.

 Author & Activist Revathi was felicitated with the Rainbow Warrior Award. Actors Trinetra Haldar, Akash Menon and Meer Tausif were awarded the Rainbow Voices Award.

 Jury members comprised of filmmakers Vikramaditya Motwane & Abhishek Chaubey and producers Guneet Monga Kapoor & Neeraj Churi (KASHISH QDrishti Film Grant); filmmaker Tanuja Chandra and actors Shishir Sharma & Shruti Seth (Narrative); filmmakers Bishakha Datta, Prateek Vats & Shubhra Chatterji (Documentary); actor Siddharth Menon, filmmaker Sudanshu Saria & curator Svetlana Naudiyal (Student Shorts); communication professionals Nargis Wadia & Roy Wadia (Riyad Wadia Award); filmmaker Ashish Sawhny (Ismat Chughtai 8 Award); and DEI head Akshay Tyagi (Aditya Nanda Award).

KASHISH 2025

Overview  Around 40 Filmmakers from India and abroad participated in the festival, with 2 International and 14 Indian Filmmakers from outside Mumbai, in addition to an array of Local filmmakers.

 Several companies, consulates, and organizations came together to support the festival.  Skybags was the Angel Partner. Morgan Stanley and TIAA were Venture Partners.  Program Partners were KPMG, The Humsafar Trust, Kindling Pictures, Keshav Suri Foundation, and Whistling Woods International.

 Award Partners were Lotus Visual Productions, K.F.Patil Charitable Trust, Wadia Movietone, Whistling Woods International, Keshav Suri Foundation, Abhay Kulkarni, Ashish Sawhny and Renuka Shahane.

 Gifting Partners were India Circus, 2Oh!, Tatva, Kronokare and Morgan Stanley. They provided the beautiful hampers and gift items for the guests, filmmakers and panelists.

 Industry Partners were Consulate of Finland, Consulate of Iceland, Consulate of Iceland, Kingdom of Netherlands, EU Film Festival, Iris Prize, Accord Equips. Online, Community, PR and Digital Partners were FCG, Just Too Filmy, The Daily Eye, Actimedia, Digital Fix. The QKnit 9 Foundation & Sweekar: the Rainbow Parents. Hospitality Partner was The Lalit, Mumbai.

KASHISH 2025 in Pics

Celebs on the Red Carpet

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Celebs on the Red Carpet

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Celebs on the Red Carpet

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KASHISH Advisory Board

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International Guests

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Jury Members

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Jury Members & Guests

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Houseful Crowds

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Filmmakers & Teams

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Filmmakers & Teams

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Award Winners

Read about all the Award Winners HERE

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Trans Triumphs

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Queer Rainbow

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Opening & Closing Nights

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Performances

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Panel Discussions

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KASHISH Vibes

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KASHISH Vibes

KASHISH 2025

Partners

KASHISH 2025

Partners Speak “We are thrilled to be a part of the KASHISH Pride Film Festival for the eight time! This event stands as a beacon of hope, shining a light on the vital narratives of the LGBTQ+ community. Films wield a profound ability to shape perspectives and bring about change within society. By joining forces with this cause, we take immense pride in championing the visibility and equity of the LGBTQ+ community in India. Together, we celebrate diversity and help build a more inclusive future through the power of cinema.” Radhika Piramal, Vice Chairperson, VIP Industries Ltd.

“At Morgan Stanley we continue to be focused on making the Firm an employer of choice for LGBT+ talent, by providing recruiting opportunities, career development, policies and benefits and networking activities to promote inclusion, and belonging. We are proud to sponsor KASHISH for the fifth consecutive year and very excited to see the increased participation from the community and allies. The festival is a great platform and we hope it will continue to make a positive impact for the LGBT+ community.” Manoj Gupte, Managing Director, Morgan Stanley

Skybags Angel Partner

Morgan Stanley Venture Partner

TIAA India Venture Partner

KASHISH 2025

Award Partners Speak “KASHISH QDristhi film grant provides an opportunity to LGBTQ+ voices to tell their own stories. It promotes movie making that goes beyond token representation that uses the queer or trans narrative for profit mongering by differentiating between tokenism and authentic storytelling.” Neeraj Churi, Founder, Lotus Visual Productions

“To be an award partner of KASHISH is a natural extension of my support to the LGBTQIA+ community that faces new challenges every day. KASHISH is a powerful platform of self-expression and I feel this platform needs to be protected and supported morally as well as financially. I'm glad my contribution helps a few creative minds from the LGBTQIA+ community to feel appreciated for their artistic work.” Renuka Shahane, Actor

“Shri K.F.Patil Charitable Trust in the name of my father who was a freedom fighter, stands for Unity in Diversity. As an award partner we are proud to be associated with KASHISH Film Festival which year after year has been promoting freedom and inclusivity for all human kind. When the world is going through so much upheaval, its time to accept people exactly as they are and exactly as they are not. The documentary awards are to encourage filmmakers to create awareness, inform and educate people from all parts of the world to open their hearts to the LGBTQIA+ community and learn to live in peace and harmony with every kind of person.” Arunaraje Patil, Chairperson, K.F. Patil Charitable Trust

Lotus Visual Productions Supporting KASHISH QDrishti Grant

Renuka Shahane Supporting KASHISH QDrishti Grant

K.F.Patil Charitable Trust Supporting Documentary Awards

KASHISH 2025

Awards Partners Speak "Whistling Woods International is honoured to once again partner and support KASHISH Pride Film Festival as it commemorates its 16th year with KASHISH 2025. This festival serves as a cornerstone of diversity, inclusivity and creative ingenuity, championing LGBTQIA+ voices in cinema. Through our continued sponsorship as an award partner, we are thrilled to witness the festival's evolution and its unwavering commitment to fostering talent and encouraging meaningful conversations on the community’s representation and rights. Wishing the festival empowers, inspires, sparks change, and celebrates the transformative power of storytelling, leaving an indelible mark on both the industry and society.“ Meghna Ghai Puri, President, WWI “At Samruddhi Studios, we believe that stories have the power to shift perspectives and spark change — and performers are the soul of those stories. Supporting the Best Performer in a Lead Role award at KASHISH 2025 is our way of honouring those courageous artists who bring depth, truth, and vulnerability to the screen. This partnership is a celebration of fearless talent and the transformative magic of performance.” Amruta Chavan, Founder, Samruddhi Studios

“The legacy of Wadia Movietone’s pioneering founder JBH Wadia and of his grandson - and my beloved brother - Riyad Wadia lives on through the KASHISH award constituted in Riyad’s name. Inspiration, Innovation, Inclusion - All these qualities are reflected year after year through the award winners. We are proud to continue supporting the award and KASHISH!” Roy Wadia, Director, Wadia Movietone

Whistling Woods Intl Supporting Student Short Award

Samruddhi Studios Supporting Best Performance Award

Wadia Movietone Supporting Riyad Wadia Award

KASHISH 2025

Award Partners Speak “It is an honor to support the Best International Narrative Short Award. GagaOOLala provides a platform for all to present diversity and different forms of love, and we aim to connect talented creators around the world. Short films are the perfect vehicle for young and experienced filmmakers to showcase their talent and find their voice. We want to help queer Indian directors find their audience, and with this partnership, we are glad to welcome great films to be on GagaOOLala.” Jay Lin, Founder, GagaOoLala

“It is truly our honour to present the Ismat Chughtai Award for the Best Woman Filmmaker of Indian origin for the 3rd year at KASHISH. My Nani would have been proud to stand for all forms of gender inclusivity & diversity, & would have loved to support women & trans-women filmmakers from across India find their artistic expression. Thank you, KASHISH.” Ashish Sawhny, filmmaker & grandson of Ismat Chughtai

“Awards are not just about prize money or trophy, it’s an appreciation and respect given to the qualitative hard work of a writer and creator. I wanted to institute an award for best writing in memory of my late father Dr. Arvind Vaman Kulkarni, who was a well-known Poet and Writer in Marathi literature, and thought KASHISH is the best platform for this award. KASHISH has always believed in quality, and this best screenplay award is for quality. My best wishes to Team KASHISH.” Abhay Kulkarni, son of Shri. Arvind Waman Kulkarni

GagaOoLala Supporting Best Intl Short Award

Ashish Sawhny Supporting Ismat Chughtai Award

Abhay Kulkarni Supporting Best Screenplay Award

KASHISH 2025

In News

Full Press Clips Docket HERE KASHISH 2025

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KASHISH 2025

ONLINE EDITION  An Online Edition of 16th KASHISH Pride Film Festival was held between August 15 – September 15, 2025 on the platform Muvi.com

 Designed to extend the reach of LGBTQ+ cinema beyond geographical boundaries, the online festival offered a month-long celebration of stories that centre inclusion, equality, and representation. The online edition was also an access initiative — allowing students, educators, activists, allies, differently abled persons, and even closeted LGBTQ+ individuals to participate from the comfort and privacy of their homes.

 102 Films from 29 Countries were screened along with 13 Bonus Films which were FREE to watch across the world.

 50% of the films were available across the world, with option of paying in Indian Rupees, US Dollars and Euro! People could SUBSCRIBE for a Full-Festival Pass or choose the PAY-PERVIEW option.

 The KASHISH 2025 Online Film Festival was supported by Supporting Partners Mariwala Health Initiative, Keshav Suri Foundation and The Lalit. 37

KASHISH 2025

ONLINE EDITION

For more details click HERE 38

KASHISH 2025

ONLINE EDITION  The online edition offered a satisfactory response with 277 Hours of Watching and 1581 Total Views. While the majority of viewers were from India, there were viewers from Canada, United States, Belgium, Ireland, The Netherlands, Brazil, Japan, Australia, Italy, United Kingdom, Czech Republic, Singapore, Iceland, Portugal, Spain, Argentina, Switzerland, etc.

 To give our viewers a wholesome and engaging experience, Q&A sessions with 95 Indian and international filmmakers were prerecorded and made available with their films and on YouTube.

 A few Q&A sessions were moderated by actor Mona Ambegaonkar, authors Kiran Bhat & Jerry Johnson, mental health specialist Richa Vashista & Monika Agrawal, academic Nadika, activist Sonal Giani, filmmaker Murali Raman, and DEI champion Nishtha Nishant.

KASHISH INITIATIVES

KASHISH ROUND THE YEAR 2024-25 KASHISH Rendezvous for Corporates KASHISH Rendezvous was held at several corporate houses during the year – Spotify, Morgan Stanley, Accenture, WPP Unite, Wells Fargo, etc. These screening and discussion programs with corporate houses were conducted to create awareness and sensitize their employees to LGBTQ+ issues as part of their D&I initiative. More than 40 such screenings have been held till date. KASHISH Forward for Colleges KASHISH Forward was held at Sophia College for Women, IIT Bombay, KES College (Kandivali), Ya_All: The Youth Network (Manipur) etc. These Campus LGBTQ+ Film Festival to sensitize college students and faculty member is a free-to-screen event and has been held at over 60 colleges across India in Metro cities as well as Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. KASHISH Global for film festivals KASHISH facilitated screenings of Indian LGBTQ+ films at numerous film festivals across the world including Pink Apple (Switzerland), Queer Spectrum (Dublin), Gaze (Dublin), Perlen (Hannover), Freiburger Lesbenfilmtage (Germany), Indian Film festival (London), 100% Manusia (Indonesia), Asian Pride Cinema (Amsterdam) etc. Films were also distributed via GagaOoLala (Taiwan), LesFlicks (UK) and Tasveer TV (USA). A total of Rs. 85,000 were paid out to the filmmakers as Royalties for the period 2024-2025.

To know more about these initiatives and how you can also be part of it, please write to us at partners.kashish@gmail.com

KASHISH 2025

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