Indian cinema at the Sydney Film Festival 2025 isn’t playing by the usual rules. Storytellers embrace the unconventional and amplify the kind of cinema rarely given centre stage back home. This year’s picks spotlight stories from the fringe – rural voices, gender-based violence, LGBTQ, caste systems as well as cultural epics. These festival headliners dig into overlooked lives and taboo subjects, offering a bold, often raw portrayal of Indian society.
- Gulabi Gang (Documentary)
Nishtha Jain’s documentary Gulabi Gang plunges audiences into the heart of rural Uttar Pradesh, where a fearless group of women in pink saris take justice into their own hands. Led by the formidable Sampat Pal Devi, this group confronts gender-based violence with unapologetic grit. Jain’s camera documents the aftermath of horrific acts, offering a visceral and necessary gaze, allowing the film to become a tool for activism and forces accountability. The film earned awards at India’s National Film Awards, sweeping both Best Film on Social Issues and Best Editing in the non-feature category. The talented team also features cinematographer, Rakesh Haridas and editor, Arjun Gourisaria
- Farming the Revolution (Inqilab Di Kheti)
Once again, Nishtha Jain showcases her mastery with an immersive portrait of the historic 2020–21 farmers’ protests in India. As millions occupied Delhi’s outskirts for over a year, opposing controversial agricultural reforms, Jain captures the tension, hope, and perseverance of a community in resistance. With cinematography by Akash Basumatari, the film moves beyond news headlines to show human stories forged in protest tents, roadside kitchens, and sleepless nights.
- The Golden Thread (Paat Katha)
Jain turns her lens toward the fading legacy of Bengal’s jute mills. Once a lifeline of industrial India, these factories are now disappearing, taking with them the dignity and dreams of workers who depend on them. With Rakesh Haridas, the documentary meditates on labour, tradition, and archaic traditions.
- Lesbian Space Princess
An Australian original but infused with South Asian flair, Lesbian Space Princess is pure queer joy in animated form. Directed by Leela Varghese and Shabana Azeez in the cast, this Berlin Teddy Award-winner is a hilariously unhinged cosmic film. When Saira, a shy royal, learns her ex has been kidnapped by misogynistic aliens, she launches a rescue mission across galaxies. Think feminist Star Wars meets desi sass.
- The Mahabharata
Peter Brook’s revered cinematic adaptation of the Sanskrit epic Mahabharata arrives in a stunning restored version. A spiritual and philosophical odyssey charting the clash between the Kauravas and Pandavas, this film has been a cornerstone of global theatre and cinema. Based on Brook’s landmark nine-hour stage production co-written with Jean-Claude Carrière, the newly restored film version allows fresh audiences to experience its grandeur – one that bridges continents, eras, and artistic disciplines.
- Tiger’s Pond (Vaghachipani)
Director Natesh Hegde follows up his acclaimed debut, Pedro with Tiger’s Pond, a haunting tale of caste, power, and silence. Set in his own hometown in Karnataka and produced by Anurag Kashyap, the film weaves a chilling crime narrative. When a violent assault on a mute maid collides with a corrupt political campaign and a cross-caste romance, a village’s fault lines erupt. Featuring performances from Dileesh Pothan and Achyut Kumar, this is rural noir with sharp teeth and a burning conscience.
- State of Statelessness (Sathai Lewang)
In a major milestone, this anthology directed by Ritu Sarin becomes the first-ever Tibetan-language film of its kind. Told through four emotionally resonant stories that span India, America, and Vietnam, the film explores the spiritual limbo faced by Tibetan refugees caught between longing and loss, migration and memory. With recurring motifs of thangka painting, momo-making, and ancient rituals, these stories confront the cost of displacement while celebrating resilience.
However, the festival isn’t just showcasing films – it’s also inviting audiences into intimate conversations with the creatives behind them.
- Independent Filmmaking in India: A DIFF Exchange
An essential panel featuring directors Nishtha Jain, Natesh Hegde, Ritu Sarin, and Tenzing Sonam, this session moderated by Prathyush Parasuraman. Expect the chat to explore the trials and triumphs of carving out space for independent voices in India’s vibrant, chaotic film ecosystem.
- The Journey to Your First Feature
Emerging filmmakers like Leela Varghese share their paths to the big screen, from quirky concepts to festival triumph.
Sydney Film Festival 2025 amplifies Indian voices that refuse to be ignored. From heroic women in pink saris to cosmic queers, there’s something for everyone.
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