This year's New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF) is set to run through May 28 to 31 in NYC. Ahead of the festival, it has announce the films that are going to be part of it. According to Variety, the Manipuri film Boong, which recently won a BAFTA award, has been set as the first film to premiere at the festival's opening night. A version of Sholay that is restored in 4K is also part of the opening night roster, and the film will be exhibited there with director Ramesh Sippy's original ending for it.
Boong director Laksmipriya Devi is expected to attend the film's screening at the New York Indian Film Festival and participate in a discussion session afterwards. The Manipur-set film follows a boy who is looking to bring home his estranged father, and it explores themes such as fractured family relationships, longing, and identity.
NYIFF's festival director, Aseem Chhabra stated, "With Boong, we are opening the festival with a lovely film that blends humor and struggle in a rarely visited part of India. It is authentic, rooted, and internationally recognized – exactly the kind of cinema NYIFF champions. The film won a BAFTA award beating two major contenders produced by Disney."
Further, the festival is set to have the world premiere of the Punjabi film Flowers of Acacia on May 30. Director Anmol Sidhu's sophomore feature film, Flowers of Acacia has Shonali Bose as its presenter and explores patriarchy in India.
Also part of the festival's roster is director Farhan Akhtar's film Dil Chahta Hai, starring Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan, and Akshaye Khanna, and director Jeejivisha Kale's critically acclaimed Marathi film Tighee. It has been 25 years since the release of Farhan's directorial debut. Tighee stars Sonalee Kulkarni and Nehha Pendse are expected to be part of the screening, which will close NYIFF.
