Shoojit Sircar Backs ‘Thursday Special’

MUMBAI- Filmmakers Shoojit Sircar and Vikramaditya Motwane have joined hands to present festival favorite ‘Thursday Special’, a short film by Indian National Award winner Varun Tandon.

Known for directing films such as ‘Piku’, ‘Vicky Donor’ and ‘October’, Sircar praised the film’s understated approach and said: “’Thursday Special’ really moved me with its simplicity and gentle storytelling,” he said, drawing comparisons to his own unreleased feature ‘Shoe Bite’, which featured megastar Amitabh Bachchan.

“Varun’s nuanced portrayal of companionship, ageing, and love is heartfelt and mature. It’s a delicately handled take on marriage and middle-age relationships – especially impressive for a young filmmaker – and it reminded me, in a way, of my unreleased film ‘Shoe Bite’,” Sircar added.

“The storytelling in ‘Thursday Special’ is clear and sincere, with every department serving the story. Knowing that Varun has made over 15 short films highlighted his passion and dedication, and I felt both he and the film deserved support.”

The intimate drama, which explores themes of love, companionship and the passage of time, recently claimed the Most Poetic Film Award at Serbia’s Küstendorf Film Festival 2025, a distinction personally selected by renowned director Emir Kusturica.

‘Thursday Special’ stars Anubha Fatehpuria and Ramakanth Dayama as Ram and Shakuntala, elderly married couple whose relationship is anchored by their mutual passion for food and a weekly Thursday tradition.

Motwane stressed that the film’s focus is on overlooked narratives, reports variety.com.

“When I watched ‘Thursday Special’, I was struck by the fact that though all the stories we tell are human stories, we tend to forget that there are so many other stories out there in the mundane, and in the lives of people who you would not expect to have unique stories,” he said.

For Tandon, whose short ‘Syaahi’ earned a Special Jury Award at the Indian National Film Awards, the project represents a long-cherished creative vision.

The short has amassed more than 25 awards across global festivals since its premiere at Mecal Pro in Barcelona. Notable wins include Best Narrative Short at the New York Indian Film Festival, Best International Short Film at the Adelaide Independent Film Festival, and Best Narrative Short at the Tryon International Film Festival. (IANS)