Vishal Bhardwaj, Shaunak Sen-Mentored Co-Production Fund Picks Ladakh-Set ‘Kakthet’ as Winner (EXCLUSIVE)

Stenzin Tankyong’s debut feature “Kakthet” (Idiot), set in the remote high-altitude region of Ladakh, has been selected as the winner of the inaugural INR40 lakh ($42,000) feature film co-production fund run by Humans of Cinema and Safarnaama Pictures.

The Ladakhi-language project was selected from nearly 400 entries after an extensive screening and evaluation process.

The film follows the precarious future of a government school and the community around it – both dependent on one reluctant grade 10 student who has never passed an exam, and whose teachers must attempt the impossible: save the school by saving the one student determined not to be saved.

Tankyong has spent eight years making films that bring Ladakh’s stories, landscapes and culture to international audiences. His short films “Sekool” (2019) and “Last Days of Summer” (2023) have screened at festivals including the International Film Festival Rotterdam, the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival and the Dharamshala International Film Festival.

“Kakthet” is produced by Ritu Sarin and Rajesh Thanickan, alongside French co-producers La Belle Affaire Productions. A filmmaker and producer whose career spans more than 30 years, Sarin co-founded both White Crane Films and the Dharamshala International Film Festival. Thanickan’s credits include Neeraj Ghaywan’s “Homebound,” executive produced by Martin Scorsese and premiered at Cannes in 2025; “Santosh,” which premiered at Cannes in 2024; and “Our Share of Sand,” which premiered at the 2026 Venice International Film Festival’s International Critics’ Week, where it won the Audience Award.

The project had already attracted international industry attention before the fund selection, winning the Co-Production Features Grant at WAVES Film Bazaar in 2025 and being chosen as one of 30 projects for the 2026 Asian Project Market, held alongside the Busan International Film Festival.

The fund was launched by Humans of Cinema founder Harshit Bansal and Safarnaama Pictures founder Nazim Momin, a U.S.-based engineer and producer. Filmmakers Vishal Bhardwaj and Shaunak Sen are attached as mentors, with Sen also serving as executive producer of the winning project. The jury comprised actor Imran Khan, filmmaker Arati Kadav, “All That Breathes” producer Aman Mann and festival director Aseem Chhabra.

“The past few months working on this fund have been both unbelievably challenging and incredibly rewarding. We were pleasantly surprised by the sheer number of brilliant projects we received from across the country, and we’re even more convinced how desperately initiatives like these are needed in South Asia right now. It was definitely a testing process, but we couldn’t be happier with the result. Stenzin is an exciting new filmmaker with a distinct voice, and we’re excited to be an ally in his journey of making his debut feature,” Bansal said.

“Stories like ‘Kakthet’ remind us why it is important to create opportunities for voices that emerge from outside the mainstream. I’m glad to be associated with this initiative and look forward to seeing Stenzin Tankyong bring his vision to life,” Bhardwaj said.

“The ‘Kakthet’ script mobilizes lightness, absurdity and humor to tell the story of a slow lamentation underwriting several lives in Ladakh. The story of Singay and the motley group of students and teachers always stays curious and sensitive, while never lapsing into judgement. I look forward to supporting the team in realising this project,” Sen said.

“I want to congratulate the Humans of Cinema and Safarnaama team who have worked tirelessly to create this fund. I was amazed at the passion, rigour and love they’ve put in selecting the winner. I want to congratulate the winning film and above all, I want to applaud all the filmmakers who applied. So many stories represented fearlessness and fierceness, and I was really inspired by them,” Kadav said.

“I’m delighted that ‘Kakthet’ has been selected for the inaugural HoC x Safarnaama Pictures Co-Production Fund. For independent filmmakers in India, finding support for stories rooted in our own regions, languages and lived experiences can be challenging. The fact that this support comes from within our own country makes this recognition especially meaningful for us. For a film in Ladakhi, grounded in the culture and realities of Ladakh, this support offers real encouragement to tell a story that might otherwise struggle to reach the screen and a wider audience. Initiatives like this create valuable opportunities for newer voices in independent cinema, bringing the diverse cultures and experiences of our country to wider audiences. I’m glad Kakthet (Idiot) is part of this first edition, and I thank HoC, Safarnaama Pictures, the jury and mentors for helping us take the film forward,” Tankyong said.

The screenplay is in its fourth draft. In July 2026, the team completed a three-week recce across the Changthang region and Leh for location scouting, production planning and the capture of visual and sonic material for a proof-of-concept teaser. Principal cast, crew and shooting locations are now in place, with the team focused on securing additional financing and establishing co-production relationships across Asia, Australia and Europe.