The acclaimed and award-winning Hindi feature film Kuch Sapney Apne, which explores the lives of a gay couple and their family members, and was shot across India and Sweden, is set to screen at the DC South Asian Film Festival (DCSAFF) on September 6, 2025, at 4 PM in Rockville, Maryland. The film joins a lineup of South Asian shorts, documentaries, and feature films at the 13th edition of the DCSAFF.

Director Sridhar Rangayan and lead actor Shishir Sharma will attend the festival, participating in the opening night red carpet gala on September 5. They will also present their film and take part in a post-screening Q&A session.

“We are thrilled that our LGBTQ-focused film is part of mainstream South Asian film festivals like the DC South Asian Film Festival this week, and earlier at the Chicago South Asian Film Festival (USA), UK Asian Film Festival (UK) and Jagran Film Festival (India) last year,” said Rangayan.

After a successful theatrical run across 10 Indian cities and screenings at 26 film festivals, earning 14 international awards, Rangayan shared, “We are still waiting for a suitable OTT release. In the meantime, we continue our journey across film festivals and community screenings, reaching audiences who have given very favorable reviews for the film.”

Rangayan and Sharma will also lead a Masterclass titled “Script to Screen” on Sunday, September 7, at 10:30 AM, where they will discuss the challenges and triumphs of independent filmmaking. “Making an independent feature or short film is a daunting task anywhere in the world—more so in India, where thousands of films are produced annually across multiple languages. This discussion will explore what it takes to write a script, produce it, act in it, and secure a release that leaves an impact,” Rangayan explained.

Kuch Sapney Apne is a romantic drama that follows Kartik and Aman, whose relationship is tested after a fling leads to a domestic spat. Simultaneously, Kartik’s parents, Damodar and Vasudha, face challenges in their marriage.

The film explores whether these two couples can resolve their differences and whether their relationships can withstand life’s trials. It is a sensitive and heartwarming portrayal of relationships, queer or otherwise, and the impact of uncomfortable truths.

Written and directed by Sridhar Rangayan and Saagar Gupta, the film stars Shishir Sharma, Mona Ambegaonkar, Satvik Bhatia, and Arpit Chaudhary in lead roles, with strong supporting performances from Abhay Kulkarni, Veenah Naair, Yamini Singh, Yateen Karyekar, and Teodor Wickhenberg. The film features three memorable songs performed by Rekha, Vishal Bhardwaj, Shaan, Shashwat Singh, and Sushant Divgikar, with one composition by the maestro Vishal Bhardwaj. Lyrics are penned by Saagar Gupta, recently awarded Best Lyricist at the Ideal Film Festival in Maharashtra.

Kuch Sapney Apne is a sequel to the widely acclaimed film Evening Shadows (2018), which won 27 awards and was screened at 82 film festivals. Evening Shadows previously streamed on Netflix and is now available on Book My Show Stream.

Tickets for all the programs at the DC South Asian Film Festival are available at https://dcsaff2025.eventive.org/

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