'I WANTED TO NORMALISE QUEERNESS'

Director Rohan Parashuram Kanawade talks about his unusual journey into filmmaking, the mix of personal and fictional elements in his debut Sabar Bonda, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival

- NAMRATA JOSHI

After a good show last year, the film festival calendar has opened well for India again in 2025 with Rohan Parashuram Kanawade's Sabar Bonda (Cactus Pears) having had its world premiere in the World Cinema Dramatic section of the Sundance Film Festival in January, where it won the Grand Jury award.

The film is a gentle, tender exploration of a friendship forged in the middle of distress. Anand (Bhushaan Manoj) along with his mother (Jayshri Jagtap), is compelled to spend a 10-day mourning period for his late father in their ancestral village where he is unable to relate to people at large, more so because of their intrusive queries about his marriage plans. He finds a kindred spirit in childhood friend Balya (Suraaj Suman), who is battling similar marital expectations in the community.

Kanawade's debut feature is a semi-autobiographical story and a rare cinematic exploration of queerness in rural India and among the underprivileged.

In this exclusive interview with us, Rohan spoke about his passion for cinema and the making of Sabar Bonda.

Excerpts:

Let's start with the title, Sabar Bonda (Cactus Pears). What made you pick it up? Was it part of your childhood memories or as a metaphor for the prickly sweetness of life?

It's exactly what you have said. The fruit might be thorny from the outside but is very sweet inside. It's very nutritious. I wanted to use that in the film. My two protagonists-Anand and Balya-are going through a difficult time in their lives. Everyone is pressuring them. Anand has lost his father. But, even in this time of duress, they stay true to their identity. They manage to find cherished moments, moments of sweetness. I also wanted a Marathi title for the film.

How did you get into cinema?