Tanmaya Shekhar’s debut feature film Nukkad Naatak (A Street Play) has already made waves in the Indian independent cinema circuit. At the 30th Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) 2024, the film was honoured with the Special Jury Award, a recognition that cements Shekhar’s arrival as a bold new voice in Indian filmmaking.

🎬 The Film

Nukkad Naatak is a 107‑minute drama produced by Kayaantaran Studios. It tells the story of two best friends, Molshri and Shivang, who are expelled from college after a canteen robbery. To earn reinstatement, they are given an impossible challenge: enrolling five children from a nearby slum into a local school.

The film explores themes of privilege, poverty, and civic responsibility, while celebrating the transformative power of art. Both Molshri and Shivang are leaders of their college’s street play society, and it is through the medium of nukkad naatak (street theatre) that they begin to connect with the slum community.

🌍 World Premiere at KIFF

The film had its world premiere at KIFF 2024 (December 4–11) in the Indian Language Films competition. To promote the film, the cast and crew dressed in black kurtas and red chunnis, the traditional attire of street performers, and staged mini street plays across the festival venue—even during press conferences. This creative approach mirrored the film’s spirit and drew enthusiastic attention from audiences.

👥 Cast and Crew

• Written & Directed by: Tanmaya Shekhar
• Starring: Molshri, Shivang Rajpal, Nirmala Hazra, Danish Husain
• Produced by: Molshri, Medha Khanna, Tanmaya Shekhar
• Executive Producer: Naresh K Vashisht
• Cinematography: Ihjaz Aziz
• Editor: Sruthy Sukumaran
• Music: Parthhesh Menon
• Lyricist: Yogesh Dimri
• Sound Design: Rahul Prabhakaran
• Costume Designer: Amruta Date
• Production Designers: Shadman Ali, Mehvish Ali
• Colorist: Yash Soni
• Line Producer: Ram Pravesh
• Associate Director: Aniket Mishra

🎭 Fresh Faces

The film introduces debut actors Molshri and Shivang Rajpal, both with strong theatre backgrounds, having performed at Prithvi Theatre, NCPA, and other prestigious venues. Their transition from stage to screen adds authenticity to the film’s portrayal of street theatre.

🎤 Audience Reactions

Director‑producer Tanmaya Shekhar described KIFF as an unforgettable experience:

“The audience is so passionate and vocal in their support of the film. We had hundreds of people tell us it should be released theatrically, and college students offered to host screenings in their film societies. Weeping queer couples, laughing young people, emotional senior citizens—we saw the entire breadth of reactions.”

Actor‑producer Molshri added:

“We hope that this audience reaction and the jury prize will take us one step closer to our ultimate goal of a national OTT/streaming release.”

🎥 Director’s Biography

Tanmaya Shekhar is a Mumbai‑based filmmaker with a background in Economics from IIT Kanpur. His earlier short films have premiered at the New York Indian Film Festival and Cannes Short Film Corner, and are streaming on Amazon Prime Shorts TV. His short Scenes from a Pandemic was nominated for multiple Critics’ Choice Awards in 2024.

He has also written Fragrance, a climate‑change script that won the Hollywood Climate Summit 2024, and worked in New York on projects for PBS, HBO, and Focus Features.

🎙️ Director’s Statement

Shekhar explains that the film was inspired by his visit to Bagula Basti, a slum near IIT Kanpur where his mother taught in a makeshift school. The stark contrast between elite academic life and extreme poverty shaped his worldview:

“Nukkad Naatak is not just about everything that is wrong in this world. It offers a hopeful, optimistic worldview and celebrates the power of art to make social change.”

🏢 About Kayaantaran Studios

Founded in 2023 by Molshri and Tanmaya Shekhar, Kayaantaran Studios (meaning metamorphosis in Sanskrit) aims to produce films that balance Indian storytelling with global appeal. Their ambition is to emulate filmmakers like Bong Joon‑ho, creating impactful cinema in both Hindi and English.

🏆 Conclusion

Nukkad Naatak is more than a debut—it is a statement. By blending theatre, social commentary, and heartfelt storytelling, Tanmaya Shekhar has crafted a film that resonates across generations. With its Special Jury Award at KIFF 2024, the film is poised for wider recognition, and perhaps a national OTT release that will bring its message of empathy and civic responsibility to audiences across India.