Saba Azad’s ‘Minimum’ opens 26th UK Asian Film Festival

Belgium-set Indian immigrant drama Minimumopened the 26^th UK Asian Film Festival at the BFI IMAX in London on May 2.

The film stars Saba Azad, Naseeruddin Shah, Moushumi Chatterjee, Geetanjali Kulkarni, Namit Das, Tasneem Ali, and Vansh Luthra in lead roles and is directed by Rumana Molla. Indian origin, US-born Molla is a Belgian actress who is making her directorial debut with Minimum.

The film follows newlywed Indian woman Fauzia travelling to Belgium following an arranged marriage over the phone where she finds herself trapped in a web of lies and embarks on a journey of self-discovery.

Bollywood superstar Hrithik Roshan, who is dating Azad, took to Instagram Stories and wrote, “O the joys of watching a voice contortionist at play. This is going to be amazing.”

Prominent figures including actors Shabana Azmi and Karisma Kapoor will be feted for their roles in Indian cinema at the annual event.

UKAFF, which says it is the longest-running South Asian film festival in the world, will run its 26th edition from May 2 to 12 in venues across London, Leicester, and Oxford.

Themed ‘Climate of Change,’ the festival opened with the premiere of Minimum, while Lord Curzon Ki Haveli will close out the event at the Regent Street Cinema.

Indian industry veterans such as Kapoor, playback singer Kavita Krishnamurthy, and designer Rina Dhaka are expected to attend the closing gala in London, with Kapoor and Krishnamurthy set to be feted for their contributions to cinema.

Meanwhile, the festival will celebrate 50 years of Azmi’s projects with screenings of her most well-known films, including her debut, Ankur, Deepa Mehta’s pioneering 1996 romance Fire, and her most recent outing, Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani.