Like every year, Cannes 2025 will witness a significant presence of Indian talent and films. With the special screening of legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray’s Aranyer Din Ratri to Anupam Kher’s directorial, Tanvi The Great, the upcoming international film gala promises a grand affair for cinema buffs. (Also Read: Cannes Film Festival 2025 begins this week: From Alia Bhatt to Janhvi Kapoor, Bollywood stars to watch out for)
As Cannes 2025 kicks off on Tuesday, let’s take a look at all the Indian films that are set for the global spotlight.
Aranyer Din Ratri
Legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray’s Aranyer Din Ratri, which featured Sharmila Tagore and Soumitra Chatterjee in key roles, will be screened at Cannes.
Recently, the Film Heritage Foundation announced that they have restored 4K version of the 1970 film Aranyer Din Ratri, which will be headed to the international film festival.
The Instagram post shared by the Film Heritage Foundation read, “Satyajit Ray’s masterpiece Aranyer Din Ratri (Days and Nights in the Forest, 1970) restored by The Film Foundation’s World Cinema Project at L’Immagine Ritrovata in collaboration with Film Heritage Foundation, Janus Films, and The Criterion Collection.”
Veteran actor Sharmila Tagore will attend the screening of the film along with other cast members such as Simi Garewal.
Tanvi The Great
After a long gap, legendary star Anupam Kher returned to the director’s chair with Tanvi The Great, which will hit the theatres soon. Interestingly, before arriving in theatres, the film will be screened at Cannes on May 17. Anupam has already reached Cannes and is super excited to present his film at the global platform.
The film also stars Khakee: The Bihar Chapter actor Karan Tacker, who is set to make his debut on the big screen after years of working in television and on streaming platforms. Boman Irani, Jackie Shroff, and Arvind Swami will also play crucial roles. Game of Thrones actor Iain Glen is also in the film.
Homebound
Filmmaker Neeraj Ghaywan’s Homebound, starring Janhvi Kapoor and Ishaan Khatter, has officially been selected for the 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival. Neeraj directed the movie, which will be screened in the Un Certain Regard section—a category known for presenting artistic cinema from across the world. It will mark the Cannes debuts of Janhvi and Ishaan, who started their Bollywood journey together with Dhadak.
Charak
Charak, directed by Sheiladitya Moulik, will be screened at Cannes this year. The film draws its narrative from the traditional Bengali Charak Puja ritual and explores the theme of blind faith.
A Doll Made Up Of Clay
The Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) production A Doll Made Up of Clay is also set to be showcased at Cannes 2025. Written and directed by Kokob Gebrehaweria Tesfay, an Ethiopian student at SRFTI, the 23-minute film has been selected for the prestigious La Cinef section, which highlights the work of student filmmakers from across the globe.
About Cannes
Cannes is one of the most prestigious film festivals, where celebrities, film personalities, students, and many others gather under one roof for the love of cinema.
For years, the Cannes Film Festival has been synonymous with glamour, prestige and cinematic artistry, with more than a few awards season darlings debuting there. But over the last decade, as Oscar hopefuls increasingly shifted their debuts to Venice, Telluride and Toronto, Cannes saw its influence on awards season diminish, as per Variety.
That’s no longer the case. In the last three years, Oscar best picture contenders (as well as international feature nominees) emerged from its lineup — most notably Palme d’Or winners Triangle of Sadness (2022) and Anatomy of a Fall (2023).
Now, it’s to be seen what the upcoming edition has in store for cinema buffs. From May 13 to May 24, Cannes 2025 will blend the magic of storytelling with the elegance of the French Riviera.
