What can you see through your Two Eyes at the Third Eye Asian Film Festival?
Beginning on Friday, the 9th of January, the 22nd Third Eye Asian Film Festival, 2026, organised by The Asian Film Foundation, Prabhat Chitra Mandal and Enlighten Film Society and Supported by the Cultural Affairs Department of the Government of Maharashtra, Maharashtra Film, Stage & Cultural Development Corporation, National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) and National Film Archive of India (NFAI), has a feast of films lined up for you at the Third Eye Asian Film festival (TEAFF).
There are two venues: Mini Theatre, P.L. Deshpande Maharashtra Kala Academy, Prabhadevi, Central Mumbai
Date Day 10am - 11.45am 12pm – 2:00 pm 2.30pm – 4.45pm 5:00pm – 7.00pm 7.30pm – 10.00pm
09/01/2026 FRIDAY
6 AM (Sa’at-e Shesh-e Sobh)
Dir: Mehran Modiri
Iran, Turkey | 87 mins | 2024 | Persian
AS
Malika
Dir: Natalia Uvarova
Kazakhstan, Moldova, Ireland
94 mins | 2025 |
Kazakh, Ingush, Russian
BFB
About My Mom (Annem Hakkında)
Dir: Soner Sert
Turkey | 96 mins | 2025 |
Turkish, German
AS
OPENING CEREMONY
OPENING FILM
On Your Lap (Pangku)
Dir: Reza Rahadian
Indonesia, Saudi Arabia | 100 mins | 2025 | Indonesian
BFB
10/01/2026 SATURDAY
Gaman
Dir: Manoj Naiksatam
India | 105 mins | 2025 | Marathi
MC
Body
Dir: Abhijit Mazumdar
India | 142 mins | 2024 | Hindi
IC
Sabar Bonda (Cactus Pears)
Dir: Rohan Parashuram Kanawade
India | 117 mins | 2025 | Marathi
MC
This Tempting Madness
Dir: Jennifer E. Montgomery
USA | 98 mins | 2025 | English
WC
Dr. Kotnis Ki Amar Kahani (a restored classic, made by director, producer, actor V. Shantaram, whose son, Kiran Shantaram, runs the Asian Film Foundation, which is the backbone of the festival)
Dir: Dr. V. Shantaram
India | 124 mins | 1946 | Hindi
RC
11/01/2026 SUNDAY
Deal at The Border (Kachkyn)
Dir: Dastan Zhapar Ryskeldi
Kyrgyzstan | 102 mins | 2024 | Kyrgyz
CF
Mayasabha
Dir: Rahi Anil Barve
India | 104 mins | 2025 | Hindi
IC
Pappa Sanga Kunache
A warm, deeply human story rooted in love, care, and everyday resilience.
This Marathi documentary reflects on relationships that define family, companionship, and emotional strength. Arun Sarnaik, the iconic Marathi and Hindi film actor, has left an indelible mark in the field of cinema in Maharashtra. Born to the famous classical singer and performer, Shankarrao Sarnaik and his wife Parvati, on October 4, 1935 in Kolhapur, he carried forward his father's legacy in both music and acting. Arun is justifiably credited with raising the bar in both theatre and films and singing by his exemplary performances. This documentary is his daughter Dr. Savita's heartfelt tribute to the creative genius of her father.
Dir: Dr. Santosh Pathare (who is the Director of the TEAFF)
India | 79 mins | 2025 | Marathi
SS
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Third Eye Asian Film Festival accepts my proposal, institutes best debut director award
In a rare occurrence, the organisers of the Third Eye Asian Film Festival (TEAFF), currently being held in Mumbai and Thane, accepted the proposal I put forth at their press conference on 22nd December, at the iconic Rajkamal Kalamandir complex, that, since there were several directors whose debut-making films were to be screened at the TEAFF, they should consider instituting an award for the Best Debut Director. Trustee Kiran Shantaram and Festival Director Santosh Pathare were both taken-up with the idea I mooted, and announced that they would take my proposal seriously. I assumed, at best, they would include it in the 23rd edition of the festival, which would be held next year, in 2027. Little did I expect that Shantaram would announce the inclusion of this award from the current festival itself. The announcement was made at the Opening Ceremony, held at the P. L. Deshpande Maharashtra Kala Academy’s sprawling courtyard, yesterday. I was not given any credit for my suggestion, but never mind, the fact that it was accepted is reward enough.
As usual, TEAFF’s Opening Ceremony was held after three films had already been screened, at the mini-theatre of the same complex. in open-air, with natural air-conditioning keeping the audience optimally cool, on a Mumbai winter evening. A simple yet impressive stage was set-up, sofas arranged for the VIPs (they have given me a VIP pass, another rarity) and plenty of chairs for the invitees. Kiran Shantaram asked Kiran Kulkarni whether this could be the permanent venue for the Opening ceremony of all future TEAFFs, and Kiran was in agreement.
On stage, besides Kiran Shantaram, were the doyenne of Indian entertainment media, Sai Paranjpye, actress Sonali Kulkarni, National Film Development Corporation (NFDC)’s Managing Director and former Director of the National Film Archive (now merged with NFDC), Prakash Magdum, Kiran’s son Chaitanya. Kiran Shantaram was the Secretary of the Mumbai Academy of Moving Image (MAMI, from its foundation, with Hrishikesh Mukherjee as its Chairman and Satish Nandgaonkar as its Festival Director. His grandson, Rahul, is making a documentary on late V. Shantaram, the master craftsman, to be released in November 2026, on Shantaram’s 125th birth anniversary.
Chaitanya Shantaram (Trustee), Premendra Mazumder (Program Director). Kiran V. Shantaram ( Chairman), Prakash Magdum (MD, NFDC), Padma Bhushan Sai Parajpye (Filmmaker), Dr. Kiran Kulkarni (Secretary, Cultural Affairs Department, Governement of Maharashtra, Dr. Santosh Pathare (Festival Director), Sonali Kulkarni (Actress), Shrikant Bojewar (Trustee), Sandeep Manjrekar (Managing Director)
Scheduled to start at 5 pm, it kept the clock ticking for almost 90 minutesbefore things began to happen. A professional compère (another rarity), whose name I got as Jeevat Davre, was on the job, and managed a passable attempt at running the show. Kiran and famous actress, multi-lingual actress Sonali (a Trustee of the Asian Film Foundation) had their eyes
Sonali Kulkarni
on the clock, and made their addresses really brief; Santosh, an affableperson, had to speak longer, being the Director of the festival, having so much to say, and being the man who has stepped into the size 12 shoes of the indomitable Satish Nandgaonkar, and done a more than reasonable job of it;
