{"id":363353,"date":"2025-11-24T10:51:40","date_gmt":"2025-11-24T05:51:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.technologyforyou.org\/?p=363353"},"modified":"2025-11-24T10:51:40","modified_gmt":"2025-11-24T05:51:40","slug":"three-cinematic-worlds-unfold-at-iffi-as-nilgiris-mu-po-bombilwadi-and-sikaar-take-centre-stage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.technologyforyou.org\/three-cinematic-worlds-unfold-at-iffi-as-nilgiris-mu-po-bombilwadi-and-sikaar-take-centre-stage\/","title":{"rendered":"Three Cinematic Worlds Unfold at IFFI as \u2018Nilgiris,\u2019 \u2018Mu. Po. Bombilwadi,\u2019 and \u2018Sikaar\u2019 Take Centre Stage"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Three Cinematic Worlds Unfold at IFFI as \u2018Nilgiris,\u2019 \u2018Mu. Po. Bombilwadi,\u2019 and \u2018Sikaar\u2019 Take Centre Stage <\/h2>\n


Sikaar Cast & Crew Honour Zubeen Garg, Reflect on a Journey Across Continents<\/p>\n

Nilgiris Filmmakers Share Tales of Patience; Calls for Coexistence<\/p>\n

Makers of Bombilwadi Share the Magic Behind Their Wartime Satire<\/p>\n

<\/span> <\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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#IFFIWood, 23 November 2025<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

At the International Film Festival of India, a cross-cultural, cross-genre dialogue took the stage today as the cast and crew of three compelling films came together for a lively press conference filled with insight, emotion, and humour. In an engaging exchange, the creators of \u2018Nilgiris: A Shared Wilderness,\u2019 \u2018Mukkam Post Bombilwadi,\u2019 and \u2018Sikaar\u2019 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

unpacked the rich and varied themes woven into their films.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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\u2018Sikaar\u2019: A Tribute, A Journey, and a Cinematic First for Assam<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The session opened on a deeply emotional note as \u2018Sikaar\u2019 director Debangkar Borgohain remembered the film\u2019s lead actor, musician Zubeen Garg, who passed away recently. Having collaborated for nearly two decades, Debangkar recalled how he originally approached Zubeen only for the music. \u201cHe heard the story and said he wanted to act,\u201d he smiled, before adding quietly, \u201cThis is the last film of his to release while he was with us. It\u2019s been 64 days since he passed. He would\u2019ve been happy to be here today.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Debangkar also reflected on the extraordinary production journey of \u2018Sikaar,\u2019 the first Assamese film to be extensively shot abroad, with nearly 70% filmed in London. With most of the team unable to travel, the director worked remotely from Guwahati, often \u201csitting under mosquito nets\u201d while guiding the shoot through livestreams, a remark that drew warm laughter from the room.<\/span><\/p>\n

He spoke of the overwhelming reception the film received at IFFI. \u201cSeeing houseful shows and people from different parts of the country appreciating it makes me happy. I want to portray the real Assam. One,  full of strength and dignity,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

On concerns regarding OTT visibility for regional films, Debangkar noted that while these platforms have expanded global access, they often fail to give regional cinema the spotlight it deserves.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Nilgiris: A Shared Wilderness\u2019 Captures a Living, Breathing Biosphere<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

While \u2018Sikaar\u2019 brought emotion, the team of \u2018Nilgiris \u2013 A Shared Wilderness\u2019 brought awe. Adarsh N C, Associate Producer, spoke about the patience needed to create a wildlife documentary shot in 8K and 12K, capturing elusive species in a region shaped over billions of years. \u201cThe stars of our film are the wildlife. They don\u2019t arrive on time. There are no retakes,\u201d he said, emphasising how three months could sometimes go into getting a single shot.<\/span><\/p>\n

He added that the documentary is also an exploration of coexistence. \u201cIt\u2019s about how we share the wilderness in our own backyards. We went into people\u2019s homes to find species living right next door.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Team member Sri Harsha described the unpredictable nature of such filmmaking: \u201cWe had no clue what we were going to film. We didn\u2019t know where the animals were. There\u2019s a huge research team behind the camera updating us on wildlife movement. Eventually you get a sense of the story you’re building.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

When asked whether global documentary giants influenced the film, Adarsh said: \u201c\u2019Nilgiris\u2019 is a make-in-India film. Every person behind it is Indian.\u201d Harsha added, \u201cWe learn from global technology and talent, and we bring that into an Indian system. Someday, we hope to be a model for the global industry.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Adarsh also shared that while OTT enquiries have been strong, the team wants audiences to experience \u2018Nilgiris\u2019 on the big screen. \u201cMany documentaries don\u2019t make it to theatres, but \u2018Nilgiris\u2019 had a good run. OTT matters, but later,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Mukkam Post Bombilwadi\u2019: Comedy Meets Colonial-Era Chaos<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Adding a sharp shift in energy, the team of \u2018Mukkam Post Bombilwadi\u2019 brought the house down with their humour-meets-history narrative. Director Paresh Mokashi and producer Bharat Shitole discussed the challenge and delight of adapting their original stage play into a film set in 1942, where a quiet coastal Maharashtrian village finds itself tangled in both the freedom struggle and the chaos of World War II.<\/span><\/p>\n

On blending comedy with such a serious backdrop, Paresh said, \u201cGreat comedies have been made on subjects like poverty.\u201d He went on to explain how humour doesn\u2019t dilute the truth, but instead often reveals it better.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Addressing a question on OTT shaping regional cinema, Paresh noted that the journey begins at home. \u201cRegional films must find patronage with local audiences first before going global.\u201d Producer Bharat Shitole echoed the sentiment, noting that while OTT has widened opportunities, regional films still need more equal visibility on these platforms.<\/span><\/p>\n

The press conference offered a sweeping view of India\u2019s cinematic diversity, from the pristine ecosystems of the Nilgiris, to the spirited hilarity of Bombilwadi, to the emotional sweep of Assamese lives stretched across continents. With each team bringing honesty, warmth, and creative clarity to the conversation, the session stood as a reminder of what IFFI continues to celebrate: a cinema ecosystem where every story matters, every region finds a voice, and every filmmaker brings a world of their own.<\/span><\/p>\n

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