Neel Dutt’s film Biye Fiye Niye has carved out an impressive presence on the international festival circuit. Following its European premiere at Ganges-sur-Seine in Paris, where it was honoured with the Special Jury Prize, the film was showcased in the prestigious New Horizons section of the Indian Panorama at IFFI Goa 2025. A screening at the Jaffna International Cinema Festival in Sri Lanka further expanded its reach. Now, as Biye Fiye Niye heads to the London Indian Film Festival this July for screenings across London, Birmingham, and Manchester, director Neel Dutt reflects on the film’s growing international footprint, the universality of its themes, and what it means to see his debut work resonate with audiences across cultures and continents.
As a debut director, what was your first reaction when you learned that Biye Fiye Niye had been selected for the London Indian Film Festival?
It is truly exciting. This film was born out of a group of friends coming together with a shared belief in a particular visual language and storytelling style. We set out to make the kind of film we wanted to see, and it’s incredibly gratifying to know that our vision has resonated with the selectors at LIFF. We’re delighted and deeply grateful for this recognition.
LIFF is known for showcasing South Asian stories to a global audience. What do you think makes Biye Fiye Niye resonate beyond Bengali-speaking viewers?
Good cinema transcends language and geography by connecting people through shared emotions. That has always been true. As a filmmaker, my job is to search for that emotional truth.
I’ve always believed in the idea of pan-Indian cinema. My influences and inspirations have never been limited by language or region. Growing up, many of the films that shaped me were not in Bengali, yet they left a profound impact on the way I think, perceive the world, and understand human relationships. Those films made me passionate about cinema; they made me fall in love with image and sound.
That is why I don’t believe cinema today can be confined by language or local idioms. Audiences everywhere respond to honesty, emotion, and authentic storytelling. While the Indian diaspora in the UK has grown up in a different cultural environment, the realities of modern relationships have become increasingly universal. Urban India has changed rapidly, and in many ways the experiences of young Indians today are not very different from those of the UK diaspora. I believe those shared experiences will allow the film to connect across borders just as it has elsewhere.
Neel Dutt
With four screenings across London, Birmingham, and Manchester, what are you most looking forward to — the audience reactions, post-screening discussions, or seeing the film travel internationally?
The more a film travels, the more people get to see it, and that’s incredibly rewarding. At the end of the day, every filmmaker wants their work to reach audiences. Knowing that people are watching the film, engaging with it, and responding to it is the greatest source of encouragement.
The London Indian Film Festival often highlights culturally rooted yet universally relatable stories. How does Biye Fiye Niye strike that balance?
At its heart, Biye Fiye Niye is about friendship, love, and the complicated ways in which our lives become intertwined. These are deeply human experiences that cut across cultures and geographies, making the story resonate far beyond its immediate setting.
Film festivals attract audiences who are deeply passionate about cinema, and that always makes the experience special. You expect thoughtful engagement, meaningful critiques, and perspectives that go beyond the obvious. When a film travels internationally, it also opens itself up to interpretations shaped by different cultures and lived experiences. As a filmmaker, it’s fascinating and rewarding to discover new meanings in your work through the eyes of audiences from around the world.
What conversations do you hope the film sparks among the South Asian diaspora attending the screenings?
The film celebrates diversity at a time when India is often viewed through a more uniform lens. But the reality of India is far richer and more complex. Ours has always been a multicultural society, shaped by different languages, communities, beliefs, and identities. It is this diversity, and our ability to coexist despite our differences, that defines the true Indian experience. To us, that plurality is one of India’s greatest strengths.
What aspect of the film are you most curious to see international audiences respond to — the humour, relationships, cultural nuances, or emotional core?
Biye Fiye Niye is a simple film that talks about the modern Indian experience. We had a lot of fun writing it and shooting it. I hope audiences find something meaningful to reflect upon, and perhaps come away with the reassuring realisation captured so perfectly by the rock'n ' roll band The Who’s famous line: “The kids are alright.”
Could this festival journey influence the kinds of stories you choose to direct in the future?
The journey of Biye Fiye Niye has been deeply rewarding. The film had its European premiere at Ganges-sur-Seine in Paris, where it won the Special Jury prize, followed by a selection in the prestigious New Horizons section of Indian Panorama at IFFI Goa 2025. It then travelled to the Jaffna International Cinema Festival in Sri Lanka, and now it is headed to London.
Every stop along the way has enriched our understanding of how audiences engage with cinema across cultures. It has reaffirmed something I strongly believe: intent is at the heart of any work of art. If you stay true to your vision and do not compromise on that intent, the work eventually finds its audience. The journey may be unpredictable, but sincerity has a way of travelling across borders.
What would make this LIFF experience a success for you personally, beyond awards or accolades?
For us, the opportunity to share the film with international audiences is rewarding in itself. We’re delighted that Biye Fiye Niye is gradually finding its audience, and even more encouraged by the fact that those audiences are not confined to any one region, language, or culture. It reinforces our belief that sincere stories can travel far and connect with people in unexpected places.
Did the response from the IFFI audience in 2025 give you any new perspective on the film before taking it to an international audience?
When Biye Fiye Niye was scheduled for a 9.30am screening at IFFI Goa, my producer and I were genuinely anxious. We wondered whether anyone would turn up for a film screening that early in the morning. To our delight, the theatre was packed. More importantly, the audience responded warmly throughout the film, and the screening ended with enthusiastic applause. It was one of those rare moments that remind you why you make films in the first place. We couldn’t have asked for a better response.
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