Shadowbox aka Baksho Bondi a poignant tale of love & resilience shines at its Berlinale premiere

Shadowbox (Baksho Bondi), the deeply emotional and visually immersive Bengali-language drama directed by debut filmmakers Tanushree Das and Saumyananda Sahi, premiered at the prestigious 75th Berlin International Film Festival. Competing in the newly introduced Perspectives section, the film received an overwhelming response from international audiences, resonating with its powerful narrative and compelling performances.

Baksho Bondi (Shadowbox) Berlinale premiere

Starring National Award-winning actor Tillotama Shome as Maya, Chandan Bisht as Sundar, Sayan Karmakar as Debu, and Suman Saha as Constable Ripon, Shadowbox (Baksho Bondi) explores the journey of Maya, a woman juggling multiple jobs while caring for her teenage son and husband, a retired soldier battling PTSD. When he vanishes under mysterious circumstances, Maya faces a fight for survival that tests her strength, love, and resilience.

Reflecting on the film’s reception at Berlinale, Co-Director Tanushree Das shared, “Experiencing the world premiere of our film Shadowbox (Baksho Bondi) at Berlinale, with its story finally coming to life on the big screen, was an incredibly special moment for us. This film has been a labor of love, shaped by the dedication and collaboration of so many creative geniuses from across the cinematic spectrum over the course of many years. To share this milestone with our entire team and witness the audience’s response firsthand was overwhelming in the best possible way.”

Adding to this, Co-Director Saumyananda Sahi said, “Berlinale holds a very special place in my heart—it was here, twenty years ago when I was 17, at the Talent Campus, that I first began to shape my voice as a filmmaker. To return now with my debut feature feels both surreal and deeply fulfilling. It’s a full-circle moment! Having our film Shadowbox (Baksho Bondi) premiere at a festival as prestigious as Berlinale is both an honor and a profound milestone, and we couldn’t have imagined a more meaningful stage to introduce our film to the world.”

About the film

Shadowbox (Baksho Bondi) is not only a cinematic exploration of resilience but also a remarkable feat of collective storytelling, with 17 producers coming together to bring this vision to life. Its success at Berlinale is a testament to the power of independent cinema and the ability of creative minds to push the boundaries of storytelling.

As Shadowbox (Baksho Bondi) continues to make its mark on the international stage, it paves the way for bold, independent storytelling that speaks to the heart of the human experience.

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