Not every queer story finds a screen. There are films at KASHISH from smaller towns, from underrepresented regions, from countries where making the film meant risking something real — stories that exist outside the reach of algorithms and streaming queues. For 17 years, KASHISH has been where they land.
KASHISH Pride Film Festival (2026) returns to Mumbai from 04 to 08 Jun 2026 this year across three venues: Liberty Cinema, Alliance Française, and the National Gallery of Modern Art. This edition’s theme, “Reflect, Resonate, Rejoice,” is an instruction to acknowledge the shoulders you stand on, to find yourself in someone else’s story, and to let joy be political.
We spoke with Sridhar Rangayan, founder and festival director of KASHISH, about this year’s edition — the films, the spaces, and what it means to keep something like this alive for 17 years. Here are some excerpts from our conversation.
This year’s theme is “Reflect, Resonate, Rejoice.” What drew you to these three words for this particular moment?
“Reflect” speaks about where we come from and on whose shoulders we stand; “Resonate” is about where we are today, about shared experiences and empathy; and “Rejoice” is all about queer joy, resilience, and community celebration. The theme reflects how cinema can move audiences emotionally while creating spaces for dialogue, solidarity, and hope.
The festival is returning to Liberty Cinema and also moving to the National Gallery of Modern Art this year. What does it mean to hold queer stories in these spaces?
Hosting the festival at Liberty Cinema and the National Gallery of Modern Art signals that queer stories belong within mainstream cultural spaces, not at the margins. Over the years, we have seen audiences engage with themes around identity, gender, family and mental health through cinema in deeply personal ways. These conversations are all the more urgent due to the global pushbacks on LGBTQ+ rights, and in India especially, the regression of trans rights.
For someone walking into KASHISH for the very first time during Pride Month — what would you say to them?
Come with an open heart and curiosity. KASHISH is much more than a film festival — it’s a space where people can laugh, cry, reflect, celebrate, and feel seen through cinema. Whether you identify as queer or an ally, you will experience stories from 43 countries that are deeply personal, political, joyful, and universal. You may walk in for a film, but you will leave with conversations, connections, and perspectives that stay with you long after the festival ends.
This year’s highlights include the opening film Jimpa, starring Olivia Colman and John Lithgow, a tender story about a non-binary teenager, a filmmaker mother, and a gay father navigating love across a complicated family history. The centrepiece screenings include the Sundance winner Cactus Pears by Rohan Kanawade, and the Brazilian feature I Am Going To Miss You, with an all-transgender cast. A new competition section, “Genderation Shorts,” spotlights young people navigating gender, identity, and belonging. Spain is this year’s country in focus.
KASHISH 2026 runs from 04 to 08 June 2026 across Liberty Cinema, Alliance Française, and the National Gallery of Modern Art, Mumbai, Maharashtra.
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