Sabar Bonda (Cactus Pears), the Sundance-lauded feature film written and directed by Rohan Parashuram Kanawade, is set for its Indian release with distribution helmed by Rana Daggubati’s Spirit Media, which previously distributed the acclaimed Cannes Grand Prix winner All We Imagine as Light in India. Sabar Bonda is a beautiful, quietly powerful film, crafted with tenderness, clarity, and creative conviction.
The film follows Anand, a city-dweller grappling with personal loss and familial pressures, as he embarks on a 10-day mourning ritual in his ancestral village. Amid the rugged beauty of western India, he finds solace and connection with Balya, a childhood friend facing similar societal expectations. Featuring a stellar cast, including Bhushaan Manoj, Suraaj Suman, and Jayshri Jagtap, the narrative delicately captures the complexities of personal relationships forged under challenging circumstances and celebrates the courage it takes to honor one’s truth.
A film of many firsts, Sabar Bonda (Cactus Pears) made history earlier this year as the first-ever Indian fiction feature to win at the Sundance Film Festival, where it was awarded the prestigious Grand Jury Prize. Selected from thousands of submissions worldwide, it stood as India’s only feature in competition and marked another milestone as the first Marathi-language film ever to premiere at the festival. The jury’s citation highlighted, “This is the great modern love story. To say it’s an honor to award this tender film is an understatement. We cried, we laughed, and we wished to be loved in the same way. It is exactly what the world needs right now. This authentic point of view opens the door to an intimate language we all understand. We feel the humming heartbeat of the main character’s inner life, and when it bursts, it wraps us with its sweetness. We award the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic to Sabar Bonda (Cactus Pears).”
Since then, the film has traveled across the globe, screening at over 25 international film festivals and winning accolades including Best Feature Film, Audience Choice Awards, and Honourable Mentions at prestigious platforms such as SXSW London, San Francisco International Film Festival, IFFLA, and more. Its worldwide acclaim has firmly established it as one of the year’s most celebrated Indian films. Now, with its Indian theatrical release, Sabar Bonda finally comes home.
On collaborating with Sabar Bonda for its Indian theatrical release, Rana Daggubati, Spirit Media, said, “At Spirit Media, we champion great stories that can transcend beyond languages and borders. 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. We’re thrilled to now bring the film home to Indian audiences who will find their own reflections in its beauty and truth.
Reflecting on the film’s journey and its Indian theatrical release, writer-director Rohan Parashuram Kanawade shared, “Having Spirit Media distribute Sabar Bonda in India feels incredibly meaningful. This film reimagines one of the most intimate experiences of my life into a story about love, acceptance, and resilience. To see it resonate with audiences across the world has been overwhelming in the best way, but bringing it home to India carries a different kind of fulfillment. 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 theatres here, and to claim their place in our larger cultural memory. With Spirit Media, I believe Sabar Bonda will truly find its way to hearts across India.”
The producers, speaking jointly about the film’s collaborative journey and Indian theatrical release, added, “Sabar Bonda has been a labor of immense passion, brought to life through collaboration across borders and communities. Its recognition worldwide has been extraordinary, but bringing it back to Indian audiences through this theatrical release is the truest celebration of why we made this film. We’re especially delighted to partner with Spirit Media, whose belief in the film makes this homecoming even more meaningful. And beyond this moment, we believe it marks the beginning of a larger journey for films like ours to claim their space in Indian cinema.”
Developed under the Venice Biennale College Cinema 2022-2023 and NFDC Marathi script camp and presented at global platforms like the Film London Production Finance Market, NFDC Marathi Script Camp, Film Bazaar Co-Production Market, Venice Gap Financing Market, and Goes to Cannes, Sabar Bonda (Cactus Pears) showcases the finest talents of an international collaborative effort. Produced by Neeraj Churi (UK), Mohamed Khaki (Canada), Kaushik Ray (UK), Naren Chandavarkar (India), Sidharth Meer (India), and Hareesh Reddypalli (India), with co-producer, Neha Kaul and acclaimed actor Jim Sarbh and associate producer Rajesh Parwatkar the film is a remarkable achievement for Marathi cinema.
Alongside its Indian theatrical release, Sabar Bonda has secured North American distribution with Strand Releasing, the celebrated arthouse banner known for championing bold, visionary filmmakers across the globe.
