Shubh Mukherjee's Kahwa Gains Global Acclaim, Reflects on the Journey of Its Making
Shubh Mukherjee's Kahwa was screened at the Rome Prisma Film Awards and recognized as one of the finalists. Kahwa has already been showcased at prestigious film festivals around the world, including in Los Angeles, Istanbul, London, Chennai, and notably at Cannes in May this year.
In 2011, Shubh Mukherjee made his directorial debut in Hindi cinema with Shakal Pe Mat Ja, a film featuring veteran actors Saurabh Shukla and Raghubir Yadav. After the film's release, Mukherjee shifted his focus to the world of ad and documentary filmmaking, producing several acclaimed projects for major brands. Now, after a 13-year hiatus from fictional storytelling, Mukherjee is making a powerful comeback with Kahwa, a hard-hitting film based on a true story. The film has been making waves on the international film festival circuit, garnering widespread praise. Most recently, Kahwa was screened at the Rome Prisma Film Awards, where it was recognized as one of the finalists.
During his years working on documentaries, Mukherjee had the opportunity to witness firsthand the realities of life in distressed regions such as the borders of Somalia and the politically volatile area of Kashmir. This experience deeply influenced his latest work, Kahwa, which tells the true story of the aftermath of militant Burhan Wani's encounter in Kashmir. The event led to the longest single spell of curfew in the state's history. The film, featuring actors Gunjan Utreja and Bashir Lone, draws from Mukherjee's own experiences, as he was present in Kashmir during that tumultuous period.
About KahwaKahwa has already been showcased at prestigious film festivals around the world, including in Los Angeles, Istanbul, London, Chennai, and notably at Cannes in May this year. Despite his nerves about returning to fictional filmmaking after more than a decade, Mukherjee remains confident in his film's impact. The international recognition Kahwa has received has only strengthened his belief in the project.
"It was quite challenging to make this film as it deals with a very sensitive subject," Mukherjee shared. "The film has been shot in Kashmir, and while it has become easier to shoot in the state today, the nature of our subject made it a bit tricky. Also, ours is an independent film without the backing of a big producer. Yet, we were ready to risk it all, and the kind of love and appreciation it has received across all continents adds to our confidence in the film."
Mukherjee also revealed that Kahwa's trailer is set to be released for the Indian audience this month, marking the next step in the film's journey.