‘Nadharer Bhela’ only Indian film in Kolkata international film fest lineup

Pradipta Bhattacharyya’s latest Bengali feature Nadharer Bhela (The Slow Man and His Raft) has secured a coveted spot in the international competition section, “Innovation in Moving Images,” at the 31st Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF). The festival runs from November 6 to 13.

The three-hour film stands out as the only Indian entry in the category and will compete with 14 films from around the world for the prestigious Golden Royal Bengal Tiger Award, KIFF officials confirmed.

Bhattacharyya, best known for his National Award-winning Bakita Byaktigato, said the recognition feels special for both him and his team. “I’m glad that audiences in my city and delegates from around the world will get to watch it. This selection acknowledges our collective effort,” he told reporters.

Shot in the filmmaker’s native village of Tehatta in West Bengal’s Nadia district, Nadharer Bhela explores the story of a man struggling to keep pace with a rapidly moving world. “If someone follows their own rhythm or slows down with age, they’re often labelled a misfit. My film focuses on such a protagonist,” Bhattacharyya explained.

Interestingly, while pre-production took nearly a year, the entire shoot was wrapped up in just 13 days.

The film, which earlier featured in the Harbour segment at the 2025 International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR), stars Ritwick Chakraborty as a circus manager and Amit Saha as the titular character, Nadhar.

With Nadharer Bhela, Bhattacharyya once again brings his indie storytelling flair to the big stage — this time representing India in one of KIFF’s most prestigious global lineups.