Assam’s ‘Village Rockstars 2’ leads powerful regional lineup at Indian Film Fest Melbourne

IFFM 2025 is striking a bold note straight from Assam. Rima Das’ Village Rockstars 2 will be one of the major highlights at this year’s Indian Film Festival of Melbourne, continuing the story of teenage guitarist Dhunu as she navigates the push and pull between musical dreams and real-life responsibilities. The follow-up to the Busan-winning original is part of a strong regional slate that puts the spotlight on raw, independent voices from across India.

But before Dhunu takes the stage, another fierce woman is opening the festival. Tillotama Shome’s Baksho Bondi – Shadowbox, a Bengali-language drama, will kick off IFFM on August 14 with its Australian premiere. Co-directed by debutants Tanushree Das and Saumyananda Sahi, the film had its world bow at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival.

In Baksho Bondi, Shome plays Maya, a woman balancing a chaotic mix of jobs—from cleaning to chicken farming—while caring for a son and a PTSD-affected husband. When her husband is pulled into a murder investigation, Maya’s quiet life unravels. Shome, who also co-produced the film, called the role deeply personal, saying it taught her the power of resilience in everyday acts.

Festival director Mitu Bhowmick Lange called the film “a perfect start” to this year’s edition, praising the performance and the filmmakers’ honest storytelling.

The regional selection doesn’t hold back. Here’s what else to watch for:

• Feminichi Fathima by Fasil Muhammed tells the story of a housewife from Ponnani whose quest for a new mattress turns into a quiet revolution.
• Aranya Sahay’s Humans in the Loop follows a divorced Adivasi woman working as an AI data labeller, caught between personal healing and digital labour.
• Boong, by Lakshmipriya Devi, traces a Manipuri boy’s journey in search of a father who disappeared during political conflict.
• Onir’s We Are Faheem & Karun brings a layered narrative of forbidden romance in a remote Kashmiri village.

Also on the roster: Vipin Radhakrishnan’s Tamil-language Angammal, about a son embarrassed by his mother’s rural attire after moving to the city, and Parikrama from veteran director Goutam Ghose, which connects an Italian documentarian with a displaced boy living along the Narmada River.

Running through August 24 and backed by the Victorian Government, IFFM 2025 will present its awards on August 15, celebrating excellence across film and streaming.