`Sabar Bonda` (Cactus Pears), directed by Rohan Parashuram Kanawade, proudly stands as India’s only feature film competing at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival and marks a historic milestone as the first-ever Marathi language feature to premiere at the prestigious festival. `Sabar Bonda` is not only India’s but the only feature film from South Asia competing in Sundance Film Festival’s World Cinema Dramatic Competition this year selected from the thousands of submissions across the world that the festival receives. This tender yet powerful exploration of identity, familial expectations, and unconventional love is a landmark moment for Marathi cinema continuing the impressive rise of a new wave of Indian independent cinema on the global stage.

Sabar Bonda explores loss, social norms, and conformity

The film follows Anand, a city-dweller grappling with personal loss and familial pressures, as he embarks on a 10-day mourning ritual in his ancestral village. Amid the rugged beauty of western India, he finds solace and connection with Balya, a childhood friend facing similar societal expectations. The cast includes Bhushaan Manoj, Suraaj Suman, and Jayshri Jagtap. The narrative delicately captures the complexities of personal relationships forged under challenging circumstances and celebrates the courage it takes to honor one’s truth.