Rohan Parashuram Kanwade’s “Cactus Pears” (Sabar Bonda) is heading home to India after making history earlier this year as the first Indian fiction feature to win the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival.
“Baahubali” star Rana Daggubati‘s Spirit Media has secured Indian distribution rights for the Marathi-language drama, which previously distributed Cannes Grand Prix winner “All We Imagine as Light” in the territory. The film has also locked North American distribution with Strand Releasing.
Set against the rugged landscape of western India, the film follows Anand, a city-dweller coping with personal loss and family pressures as he undertakes a 10-day mourning ritual in his ancestral village. There he reconnects with Balya, a childhood friend facing similar societal expectations. The cast includes Bhushaan Manoj, Suraaj Suman and Jayshri Jagtap.
The film marked multiple milestones at Sundance, standing as India’s only feature in competition and the first Marathi-language film ever to premiere at the festival. It earned praise from the jury, which called it “the great modern love story” and highlighted its “authentic point of view” that “opens the door to an intimate language we all understand.”
Since Sundance, the film has screened at over 25 international festivals, collecting honors including best feature film and audience choice awards at SXSW London, San Francisco International Film Festival and IFFLA.
“At Spirit Media, we champion great stories that can transcend beyond languages and borders,” said Daggubati. “‘Sabar Bonda’ has carried Indian cinema to new heights on the global stage; all credit to Rohan for bringing such honesty and tenderness to it and the producers for supporting this film’s journey.”
“Having Spirit Media distribute ‘Sabar Bonda’ in India feels incredibly meaningful,” Kanawade added. “This film reimagines one of the most intimate experiences of my life into a story about love, acceptance, and resilience. What excites me most about this partnership is not just the release itself, but the possibility it represents – the chance for regional, authentic, and emotionally honest Indian stories to find space in theaters here.”
The filmmaker comes from humble beginnings, raised in a one-room Mumbai slum home by a chauffeur father and homemaker mother. He transitioned to filmmaking from interior design, with his shorts screening globally before developing “Cactus Pears” through the Venice Biennale College Cinema 2022-2023 program.
The international co-production was developed through multiple platforms including the NFDC Marathi Script Camp, Film London Production Finance Market, Film Bazaar Co-Production Market, Venice Gap Financing Market and Goes to Cannes.
Producers include Neeraj Churi (U.K.), Mohamed Khaki (Canada), Kaushik Ray (U.K.), Naren Chandavarkar (India), Sidharth Meer (India) and Hareesh Reddypalli (India), with co-producers Jim Sarbh and Neha Kaul, and associate producer Rajesh Parwatkar.
The creative team features cinematographer Vikas Urs, editor Anadi Athaley, colourist Himanshu Kamble, sound designers Anirban Borthakur and Naren Chandavarkar, and costume designer Sachin Lovalekar.
Spirit Media, founded by Daggubati in 2005, specializes in original content development and distribution, talent management and creative brand marketing services from its Hyderabad headquarters.
