Rima Das’ ‘Not A Hero’ among six Indian films selected for Busan International Film Festival

Assamese filmmaker Rima Das’ Not A Hero is among six Indian films selected for the 31st Busan International Film Festival, which will be held in South Korea from October 6 to 15.

Das, known for acclaimed films such as Village Rockstars, Bulbul Can Sing and Tora’s Husband, returns to the prestigious festival with her latest film, a coming-of-age drama about a young boy who is sent from a city to live in a village.

Not A Hero will have its world premiere in the festival’s ‘A Window on Asian Cinema’ section, a prominent non-competitive segment showcasing new and notable works from across Asia.

Das had earlier featured at Busan with Village Rockstars 2, which premiered at the festival and won the Kim Jiseok Award.

Five other Indian films have also been selected in the same section — Anuparna Roy’s Lovers in the Blue Light, Leo Thaddeus’ Malayalam film Chevittorma (The Soul Whisperer), Vishwendra Singh’s Khoriya, Sahil Shah’s Birds on Ice and Sandeep Kumar Paul’s About an Intimate Matter.

Roy, who became the first Indian filmmaker to win the Best Director award at the Venice Film Festival for her debut feature Songs of Forgotten Trees, is returning with her new film, which has also been selected for Venice. She will additionally serve on the shorts jury at Busan.

“Having an Asian Premiere in Busan feels incredibly special to me,” Roy said in a statement, adding that returning to the festival as a jury member was an honour.

Thaddeus’ The Soul Whisperer, starring Dileesh Pothan and Pauly Valsan, will also have its world premiere in the section. The filmmaker said the film was an attempt to move away from the pace and conventions of mainstream cinema and explore a more intimate and patient form of storytelling.

Pothan, who co-produced Kumbalangi Nights and directed Joji, said he was drawn to Thaddeus’ sensitivity in approaching the story and his willingness to allow silence, stillness and performances to drive the film.

Khoriya, a Nepali and Hindi-language drama, follows two Nepali half-brothers running a poultry farm on the outskirts of Delhi NCR during a sudden bird flu outbreak. The film, produced by Niharika Singh, Faraz Khan and Prayas Deepti, won the post-production grant at the NFDC Waves Film Bazaar 2025 Work in Progress Lab.

Filmmaker Ashim Ahluwalia serves as executive producer on the project.

Busan has also selected Indian films in other sections. Sailesh Rathnakumar’s Selvi and Shashank Walia’s Birds in the Dark are part of the Vision Asia category.

Selvi, produced by and starring actor Anjali Patil, will be screened alongside Birds in the Dark, produced by Hansal Mehta and co-produced by Sahil Saigal, Reema Kaur, Mauli Singh and Gagan Deep Kaur. Mauli Singh also stars in the Punjabi-language film, titled Hanere de Panchi.

Promita Dhar’s Salt Electric has been selected for the Wide Angle: Asian Short Film Competition.

The 31st Busan International Film Festival will take place at the Busan Cinema Center from October 6 to 15.