Critics' Week is one of the few sections of the 77th Cannes Film Festival that do not officially include an Indian entry. But dig just a little into the selection of the parallel segment and one finds an Indian name attached to an exceptional short fiction film.
The film is Sauna Day, directed by the Estonia-based filmmaking couple Anna Hints and Tushar Prakash.
Tushar Prakash belongs to Delhi. He went to the National Polish Film School in Lodz. He has lived in Estonia since 2020 and straddled two diverse countries and cultures.
Sauna Day, a 13-minute film, is a follow-up to Hints’ award-winning Smoke Sauna Sisterhood, a 90-minute documentary that follows a group of women who, by baring their bodies and souls in a smoke sauna, form a sorority that is way more than skin deep. The critically lauded feature-length film was edited by Prakash.
Sauna Day focuses on two Southern Estonian men who go to a smoke sauna to unwind after a hard day at work. Their desire for connection, although largely unstated, surfaces beneath their masculine exteriors.
Hints, who is a singer-musician in addition to being a filmmaker, says, “The two men in Sauna Day ‘talk’ a lot about mundane issues but not through words. Men tend to avoid intimacy. We wanted to explore their courage to be vulnerable.”
“The challenge,” says Prakash, “was to tell a story without using much dialogue. The film takes recourse to the language of silences and glances, of the unspoken.”
Prakash studied history before doing a short-term filmmaking course in Delhi. That stint helped him meet people from Jamia Millia Islamia.
“They gave me the building blocks that enabled me to understand cinema and its nuances,” he says.
At the cultural centres in Delhi, he watched world cinema masterpieces. He was especially enthralled by Krzysztof Kieslowski's Decalogue and Three Colours trilogy.
In 2007, Prakash became the first ever Indian to earn a seat at the prestigious Lodz film school. He passed out of the school in 2012 and returned to Delhi, where he spent the next few years. Anna and Prakash first met at a workshop and that is how their partnership, in life and in filmmaking, began.
Does Prakash have an Indian film on the anvil? “Yes, of course,” he replies. “As a man, I am Indian-Estonian. As a filmmaker, too, I am Indian-Estonian.”
“Aware of my hyphenated cultural identity, I can be one or the other, or both at the same time, without either of them undermining the other,” he adds.
Hints asserts that “we have an Indian film in our minds, which we hope to start writing soon.”
Stills from Andaz Apna Apna
Stills from Andaz Apna Apna
Vinay Kumar Sinha
Rahul’s casual dismissal of that controversy has added fuel to the fire
Rahul Bhatt sparks controversy over 'insensitive' remarks about sisters Alia and Pooja Bhatt
Rahul Bhatt, fitness trainer and son of veteran filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, has found himself at the centre of a social media storm following controversial remarks about his half-sister, Alia Bhatt. In a recent interview, Rahul drew comparisons between Alia and their older sister Pooja Bhatt, calling the latter more talented, attractive, and principled.
The comments, which many have labelled inappropriate and insensitive, have sparked widespread criticism online. During the interview, Rahul stated, “In my opinion, she (Alia) is not even half of what my real sister Pooja is. Not in talent, not in looks, not in terms of being sexy. In front of my sister, she is ‘paani kam chai’ (watery tea). Amongst the siblings, the most talented and the most moralistic is Pooja.”
Social media users reacted strongly, questioning why Rahul would compare his sisters in such personal terms. Several users were particularly disturbed by his reference to their appearance and sex appeal, pointing out that such comparisons within a family cross boundaries of propriety. One comment read, “This is disturbing. Why talk about your sisters like that? It’s not just weird, it’s wrong.” Another post said, “There’s nothing respectful about comparing your siblings’ attractiveness in public.”
The backlash also reignited conversation around a decades-old controversy involving Mahesh Bhatt and Pooja Bhatt. Rahul was asked about the infamous 1990s magazine cover where the father-daughter duo shared a kiss, which had stirred public outrage at the time. Dismissing the criticism, Rahul said, “It doesn’t make any difference. It’s like water off a duck’s back. We know the truth, and we’ve seen everything since childhood.”
Rahul’s casual dismissal of that controversy has added fuel to the fire, with critics saying it reflects a broader issue of the Bhatt family being insensitive to public perception and boundaries. Many users questioned the need for bringing up old incidents in a bid to defend new and equally questionable statements.
As of now, neither Alia Bhatt nor Pooja Bhatt has issued any public response to Rahul’s remarks. Both actors, known for their significant contributions to Indian cinema, have typically kept family matters private despite living in the public eye.
This episode has also sparked debate over the role of public figures in maintaining respect when discussing family matters in the media. Observers say such comments, especially when involving women’s appearance and personal qualities, reinforce problematic attitudes and fuel unnecessary controversies.
While Rahul Bhatt is not as prominent in the entertainment industry as his father or sisters, his comments have made headlines and placed the Bhatt family in the spotlight for reasons beyond their creative work. For many, this serves as a reminder that public platforms come with responsibility, and that family ties should not be trivialised or dissected for attention or comparison.
The backlash is unlikely to subside soon, especially as fans and followers of Alia and Pooja continue to express disappointment over the way the situation has unfolded. Whether or not Rahul chooses to clarify or apologise remains to be seen.