Women in Film India (WIF India) is set to host special screenings of acclaimed filmmaker Aneil Karia’s 2025 film Hamlet, starring Riz Ahmed in the titular role and celebrated Indian actor Sheeba Chaddha as Gertrude. The screenings, taking place in Mumbai, will also mark the launch of WIF India’s new Exhibition programme, in partnership with Soho House.
A contemporary reimagining of William Shakespeare’s timeless tragedy, the film reunites Aneil with Riz following their Oscar-winning short The Long Goodbye (2020).
Speaking about bringing the film to India, Riz said, “It means the world to share this with audiences in India. Adaptations like Omkara, Maqbool, and Haider have inspired me for a long time. We are excited to share our take on this timeless classic using the original verse, and we hope to present a version of this story that speaks to our times. Hamlet is grieving the illusion that the world is a fair place, and many feel like that today.”
Sheeba added, “Being part of Hamlet and inhabiting Gertrude in this world has been an incredibly rich experience. There is something very powerful about taking a text that has lived for centuries and discovering it again through our own cultural and emotional landscape. I’m especially happy that WIF India is bringing the film to audiences here and creating a space to celebrate the work and the people who make it.”
The screenings introduce Exhibition, a new strand of WIF India’s work designed to create spaces where distinctive films can be seen, discussed and celebrated. The programme extends the organisation’s focus beyond creating access and opportunities behind the screen, bringing its community closer to filmmakers, performances and stories that are contributing to the evolving language of cinema.
Guneet Monga Kapoor, Founder, Women in Film India, said, “Women in Film India has always been about creating access, opportunity and visibility. Exhibition is a natural extension of that vision. It is not enough for women to have a seat at the table; their work must also be seen, discussed and celebrated.”
“Hamlet felt like a beautiful film to begin with. It brings together an extraordinary filmmaker, a remarkable international ensemble and Sheeba Chaddha, an actor whose work we have admired for years. Our partnership with Soho House allows us to make these screenings more than just a viewing. We want them to become spaces for discovery, conversation and community around cinema.” added Rabia Chopra, Head of Programs & Strategy, Women in Film India.
