Shobhita Thakur’s The One Who Plays Wins Best Short length feature Film Award In Russia’s Altyn Minbar Kazan International Film Festival
A 12-year old girl’s dream of becoming a doctor travels from a marginalised community in Madhya Pradesh to the international stage—where Indian filmmaker Shobhita Thakur’s The One Who Plays (Khilawadi) finds recognition Indian filmmaker, writer and FTII Pune alumna Shobhita Thakur’s 27-minute film The One Who Plays (Khilawadi) has won the Best Short Film award at the XXII Kazan International Film…
In the XXII Kazan International Film Festival "Altyn Minbar" in Russia, 12-year-old filmmaker Shobhita Thakur's short film "The One Who Plays" (Khilawadi) claimed victory in the Best Short Film category. The festival received an impressive 1,030 submissions from 67 countries, with 55 films chosen for the competition program.
Thakur, an Indian filmmaker, writer, and FTII Pune graduate, was deeply humbled to receive the award as Majid Majidi, a renowned Iranian filmmaker and a long-time influence, chaired the international jury. Majidi's films often tackle children, human vulnerability, dignity, and the human condition, making winning at the Kazan festival particularly significant for Thakur.
"The One Who Plays" revolves around Sapna, a 12-year-old girl from India's marginalized Banchhada community in Madhya Pradesh. Despite facing social and economic injustice, Sapna dreams of becoming a doctor, inspired by a woman doctor in her village. Thakur's film explores themes of caste, gender, identity, education, and social exclusion, focusing on Sapna's determination to pursue her dream without reducing her character to a symbol of suffering.
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