The Toronto International Film Festival is one of the biggest in the world that features international films. Among films from many countries, South Asian films have always had a huge presence at TIFF. And this year doesn’t seem to be any different. The selection of TIFF 2024 South Asian movies features stories, creators and talent from across the sub-continent. Check out my most anticipated TIFF 2024 South Asian movies.
All We Imagine As Light Is Already An Award Winner
Image via TIFF
After winning the Grand Prize at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year, All We Imagine As Light is making its Canadian premiere at TIFF ’24. The story sees two nurses in Mumbai navigating life, love and the challenges of their specific situations. All We Imagine As Light features Kani Kusruti, who our readers may recognize from the Netflix series, Killer Soup. The film also stars Divya Prabhu and Chhaya Kadam in prominent roles. I can’t wait to see what all the buzz is from this hugely talented team of filmmakers and performers.
Saba Is A TIFF 2024 South Asian Movie From Bangladesh
Image via TIFF
During a time of political revolution in the country, Saba is one of the rare movies to come to TIFF from Bangladesh. The movie is the feature film debut of director Maksud Hossain. The story focuses on a mother-daughter relationship, exploring the depths of relationships and the lengths we are willing to go to for them. Even when some encroach on others, forcing us to choose between happiness and duty. It’s a complex subject that I can’t wait to see how Hossain handles.
Santosh Sees Return Of Shahana Goswami To TIFF 2024
Image via TIFF
After last year’s very heartfelt Zwigato, Shahana Goswami returns in a grittier drama. Santosh follows a young housewife (Goswami) widowed when her police constable husband is killed on the job. Through a government initiative, she is trained to take his place in an overwhelmingly male police station in rural Northern India.
The story follows this housewife, and a veteran female detective, as they are put in charge of the investigation of a brutal murder. Santosh features these two women in rural India having to fight through the patriarchy and societal accepted norms, to get to the truth. This sounds like a grimy crime thriller, with a feminist bent to it, which makes it even more exciting. Santosh premieres at TIFF 2024.
One Of The Biggest Of The TIFF 2024 South Asian Movies
Image via TIFF
Superboys of Malegaon is probably the biggest Indian film playing at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2024. Both the talent in front of and behind the camera feature recognizable mainstream Bollywood players. Coming from the writer of hit commercial Bollywood movies like Dil Dhadakne Do, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, Gully Boy and so many more, Reema Kagti directs this film. After directing even more experimental blockbusters like Talaash, Kagti returns here with a unique, quirky, and very true story!
Superboys Of Malegaon also has a great cast featuring the likes of Shashank Arora (Made In Heaven), Adarsh Gourav (Kho Gaye Hum Kahan) and Vineet Kumar Singh (Gangs Of Wasseypur). The ensemble cast of actors is just one of the things to look forward to with the Superboys Of Malegaon. The other is how the movie is very much based on a true story of how a group of young men from a small village get into the movie business. Superboys Of Malegaon premieres at TIFF ‘24.
Shook Is Set In Toronto Premiering At TIFF 2024
Image via TIFF
Premiering in Toronto is a story very much set in the recognizable Scarborough, from filmmaker Amar Wala, Shook. The story is about a struggling writer trying to balance a new relationship, a struggling writing career and a new complexity in his personal life. As a lifelong Torontonian, I am keenly awaiting Shook this year.
Struggling to sell his first novel and slightly adrift after his parents’ divorce, writer Ashish (Saamer Usmani) is thrown for several loops when he falls for barista Claire (Amy Forsyth) and learns his estranged father Vijay (Bernard White) has just been diagnosed with Parkinson’s.
Are there any other South Asian movies at TIFF 2024 that you’re looking forward to? Let me know in the comments below. And make sure to follow me on X & Instagram at @theshahshahid for more #TIFF24 coverage.
