India @ Toronto- Women to The Fore

By Pickle September 1, 2025

Barring the dominant Deepa Mehta and Mira Nair, and the exceptions of Reena Mohan (Kamlabai) and Jill Misquitta (The Clap Trap) in 1994, which was a year of plenty for India at TIFF, it wasn’t until the mid-noughties that the festival turned its attention to women filmmakers from the subcontinent. In the 20 years since then, it has been a steady stream. Significantly, all the seven Indian short films that have played TIFF thus far have been made by women. Only two animation features from India have travelled to Toronto and both have been directed by women.

These women directors hit the high notes at TIFF and helped emphatically altered the gender balance:

Reena Mohan: Kamlabai (1994), documentary about Kamlabai Gokhale, pioneering actress of Marathi stage and films

Jill Misquitta: The Clap Trap (1994)

Shonali Bose: Amu (2005); Margarita, With a Straw (2014); The Sky is Pink (2019)

Ritu Sarin (with Tenzing Sonam): Dreaming Lhasa (2005); The Sweet Requiem (2018)

Chitra Palekar: Maati Maay (A Grave Keeper’s Tale, 2006), a Marathi film based on Bengali writer Mahasweta Devi’s story

Nandita Das: Firaaq (2008); Manto (2018); Zwigato (2022) – every narrative feature made by actor-turned-director Nandita Das has found favour with TIFF selectors)

Kiran Rao: Dhobi Ghat (2010); Laapata Ladies (2023)

Gauri Shinde: English Vinglish (2012)

Shilpa Ranade: Goopy Gawaiya Bagha Bajaiya (2013 TIFF Kids, animation), one of only two Indian animation ever featured at TIFF

Meghna Gulzar: Talvar (2015)

Leena Yadav: Parched (2015)

Konkona Sen Sharma: A Death in the Gunj (2016)

Bornila Chatterjee: The Hungry (2017)

Rima Das: Village Rockstars (Assamese, 2017); Bulbul Can Sing (Assamese, 2018); Tora’s Husband (Assamese, 2022), the first Indian film selected for TIFF’s competitive Platform section

Pakhi Tyrewala: Pahuna: The Little Visitors (2017), produced by Priyankja Chopra

Geetu Mohandas: Moothon (Elder Brother, Malayalam, 2019)

Gitanjali Rao: Bombay Rose (Animation, 2019)

Payal Kapadia: A Night of Knowing Nothing (2021); All We Imagine as Light (2024) – both films arrived in Toronto with awards won in Cannes

Lakshmipriya Devi: Boong (Manipuri, 2024)

Reema Kagti: Superboys of Malegaon (2024)

Khusboo Ranka (with Vinay Shukla): An Insignificant Man (2016)

Shirley Abraham (with Amit Madhesiya): Cinema Travellers (2016)