Rudrajit Roy’s debut feature film Pinjar is poised to make its Indian premiere at the upcoming Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF), marking a homecoming for a film that has already travelled across continents. The journey began with its world premiere at the 16th Annual Chicago South Asian Film Festival 2025 and continued through the Asian Film Festival Barcelona, the International Indian Film Festival Toronto, and the Indian Film Festival Sydney — a remarkable run for a first-time filmmaker whose roots remain firmly grounded in the stories of his soil.

Having made three short films before, Roy describes Pinjar as both a personal statement and a tribute. “I am inspired by the greats I grew up watching — Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak and Mrinal Sen,” said the doctor-turned-filmmaker. “The way we have made it is almost like a homage to them. I wanted to craft it in a way that normal people could connect with, because it reflects the basic societal issues we all face today.”

The film’s poster features a bird breaking free from its cage — an image that encapsulates its central metaphor. Each of the five main characters in the film is trying to break free from their respective prisons.

Among them is Tarak, played by Sagnik Mukherjee, a man from a marginalised background; Shefali, portrayed by Mallika Banerjee Roy, an urban woman caught in a toxic marriage; Iqbal, brought to life by Ishan Mazumder, who finds himself grappling with societal prejudice and identity-based challenges; and Paromita, played by Satakshi Nandy, whose struggle for freedom is expressed through a more visual, symbolic lens. “Everything in the film is built around this idea of flight and release,” Roy explained. The ensemble also includes Joy Sengupta, Tathagata Mukherjee and, in a pivotal role, Mamata Shankar.

For Roy, filmmaking has never been about chasing commercial success. By profession, he is a doctor specialising in critical care medicine, and it is his work in villages and with people on the margins that informs his artistic vision. “I always knew I didn’t want to make commercial films. Cinema for me is about relevance," he said.

With music by Ratul Shankar and a title track sung by Ujjaini Mukherjee, Pinjar carries the weight of both art and advocacy.

“It’s been a deeply humbling journey watching Pinjar travel across continents — from its world premiere at the Chicago South Asian Film Festival to the Asian Film Festival Barcelona, the International Indian Film Festival Toronto, and the Indian Film Festival of Sydney. The film has been screened alongside works by some truly eminent directors, and to see audiences — especially NRIs and international viewers — respond with such warmth and emotion has been overwhelming," he said.

But for Roy, the most emotional moment is still ahead. “The Indian premiere at the Kolkata International Film Festival means a great deal to me because this is where the story was born, and where its emotions truly belong. There’s a quiet anxiety too — because showing the film to the Bengali audience, who understand every nuance of its setting and silences, feels like coming full circle. I hope the film finds the same resonance here that it did across the world — not as a statement, but as a mirror of our shared humanity.”

For Roy, Pinjar was meant to be felt. “It’s a film that asks for silence, reflection, and a little empathy — from wherever one comes,” he said, with the quiet assurance of a storyteller who has finally found his voice.