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    EYE ON BOLLYWOOD                                                          MAY 29, 2026     |  The Indian Eye 40

                         From Bastar to Maharashtra,

                    Regional Indian Cinema Finds a

                                     Global Voice at Cannes

              At Cannes 2026, small-budget and regional Indian films proved that deeply local stories

                                       can resonate powerfully with international audiences.

            OUR BUREAU                                                                                            cultural  storytelling  to audiences
                                                                                                                  worldwide.
            Cannes / Mumbai
                                                                                                                      The launch was attended by
                  he red carpets of the Cannes                                                                    prominent Marathi cinema person-
                  Film Festival 2026 have long                                                                    alities including Ashok Saraf, Nivedi-
            Tbeen  associated  with  global                                                                       ta Saraf and Prajaktta Mali. Founder
            stars, auteur filmmakers and big stu-                                                                 Kedar Narahar Joshi described the
            dio productions. But this year, some                                                                  unveiling as “a proud moment for
            of the most discussed Indian entries                                                                  Marathi cinema and culture.”
            came not from mainstream Bolly-                                                                           Joshi said the platform hoped to
            wood, but from regional and inde-                                                                     take “authentic Marathi storytelling
            pendent cinema rooted in tribal In-                                                                   and talent to audiences across the
            dia, family relationships and Marathi                                                                 world.” The initiative underlined how
            cultural identity. Their growing pres-                                                                regional entertainment is becoming
            ence  at  Cannes  reflects  a  broader                                                                a serious cultural and commercial
            shift in global cinema: audiences are                                                                 force. Marathi cinema, known for its
            increasingly drawn to authentic, local                                                                literary depth and strong theatre tra-
            stories with universal emotions.                                                                      ditions, has increasingly gained rec-
                Among the films that generated                                                                    ognition for producing nuanced sto-
            attention was RJ Bastar, directed by                                                                  rytelling and socially conscious films.
            Manish Manikpuri and produced by                                                                          The Cannes presence of these
            Pawan  Kumar  Singh.  The  film  re-                                                                  films  and  platforms  signals  an  im-
            ceived a warm response during its                 Chandan Roy who stars in RJ Bastar (File photo)     portant evolution in India’s cinemat-
            special screening at Cannes, with                                                                     ic identity. For decades, Indian cin-
            viewers applauding its emotional   creasingly curious about stories out-  viewers across cultures. The strong   ema abroad was almost synonymous
            storytelling and social message. Set   side mainstream commercial cinema.  response suggested that internation-  with  Hindi  commercial  films  filled
            in the tribal regions of Chhattisgarh,   The cast included Chandan Roy,  al audiences are no longer looking   with songs, spectacle and  star pow-
            the  film  follows  the  journey  of  a   along with Chitrashi Rawat and Harsh   only for exotic representations of In-  er. Today, the international image
            young tribal girl who dreams of be-  Rajput, among others. Their perfor-  dia, but for emotionally honest nar-  of Indian cinema is becoming more
            coming a radio jockey despite pover-  mances added emotional depth  to   ratives that reflect everyday lives and   diverse, multilingual and regionally
            ty, isolation and lack of opportunities.  a  film  that  many  viewers  described   human struggles.  grounded.
                What made RJ Bastar stand out   as inspiring and socially relevant.  The success of films like RJ Bas-  This shift mirrors wider global
            was not spectacle or celebrity glam-  A similar emotional response   tar and Tera Mera Nata also reflects   trends. Audiences worldwide are
            our, but  its  grounded realism.  The   greeted Tera Mera Nata, produced   important changes in the global   embracing Korean dramas, Spanish
            story  explored  the  aspirations  of   by Gujarat-based filmmaker Chanda   entertainment industry. Streaming   thrillers and Japanese anime without
            rural India — a subject that rarely   Patel.  Screened in the Cannes  mar-  platforms, international festivals and   demanding  cultural  simplification.
            reaches international cinema plat-  ket section, the film drew a packed   digital distribution have created new   Indian regional cinema is entering
            forms with such sincerity. Festival   audience and enthusiastic applause   pathways for smaller films to travel   that same global conversation by re-
            delegates  praised  the  film  for  pre-  from international delegates and cin-  beyond national borders. Regional   maining deeply local while address-
            senting “an untold story from the   ema lovers.                     filmmakers  who  once  struggled  for   ing universal emotions — ambition,
            heartland of India” and for showing   Directed by Savi Goel and Chan-  visibility can now reach audiences   family, dignity and hope.
            how determination can overcome    da  Patel,  the  film  focused  on  rela-  in Europe, North America and Asia   At Cannes this year, India’s
            structural barriers.              tionships, family values and human   without relying on the traditional   strongest cinematic voices did not
                The  film  also  highlighted  the   connections —  themes deeply root-  Bollywood system.         necessarily come from the country’s
            growing importance of regional nar-  ed in Indian social life yet universally   That transformation was visible   biggest studios. They emerged from
            ratives in Indian cinema. Instead of   relatable. Veteran actress Deepika   in  another  major  Cannes  moment   Bastar’s tribal landscape, Gujarati
            imitating metropolitan stories or   Chikhalia led the cast alongside Pan-  this year: the launch of Abhijat   family drama and Marathi cultural
            Western storytelling styles, RJ Bastar   kaj Berry and Ambika Vani.  Marathi, a streaming platform ded-  storytelling. In doing so, they demon-
            embraced its local setting, language   Producer Chanda Patel said the   icated entirely to Marathi content.  strated that the future of Indian cin-
            and social realities. That authenticity   story was “deeply connected with   Unveiled at the Bharat Pavilion at   ema on the world stage may lie not
            appears to have connected strongly   emotions, relationships, and family   Cannes, the platform aims to take   in becoming more globalized, but in
            with global audiences who are in-  values,” themes that resonated with   Marathi films, web series, music and   becoming more confidently regional.

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