Badiger Devendra’s Vanya has been officially selected to premiere at the 56th International Film Festival of India in Goa, scheduled from November 20 to November 28.
Vanya is one of the Kannada films to be showcased in the Indian Panorama segment, the other being the blockbuster Su from So, produced by actor-filmmaker Raj B Shetty. Another Kannada film, Rudhirvana, directed by budding filmmaker Agni, is premiering in the Gala Premiere segment.
Badiger, who hails from North Karnataka, tells The Hindu this selection is a milestone for him and for the Kannada film industry.
The film, Badiger says, explores the themes that lie on the spectrum of exploitation and politics. “Exploitation is a historical issue. The oppressed have been suppressed by those in power. The film portrays a father and daughter’s emotional fight to protect their forest homeland from the corporate mafia, oppression, and political exploitation,” he explains.
The Indian Panorama, a flagship component of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), renowned for showcasing cinematic, thematic, and aesthetic excellence across Indian films.
‘Vanya’ will premiere at the IFFI in Goa on November 25, 2025.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
Vanya boasts vibrant storytelling and showcases the cultural richness of Karnataka’s film industry. Badiger, who made his directorial debut with the critically acclaimed Rudri, adds, “In terms of the story, we have had similar stories in Kannada before. For example, the 1997 film Bhoomigeetha and the 2002 film Dweepa in 2002 dealt with similar themes. I have also taken the theme of oppression and added today’s perspective and relevance.”
“Tribals and people living in forests have been either thrown out of their homes or have voluntarily left them in search of better livelihoods, simply because the system exploits them. Keeping this issue as the central plot, I have brought to life the story of Kariappa (played by Vaijanath Biradar), an old man who refuses to leave his home, and fights for his land.”
The journey of making Vanya was special, says Badgier. “There is a perpetual question, Kaadu or Naadu (the city or the forest)? I have seen this conflict among people living in remote places and in big cities”.
“People living in forests have migrated to cities. I read an article about an entire village in Himachal Pradesh getting forcefully evicted, except for an old lady who refused to leave and stayed put. This, juxtaposed with people migrating to cities, forms the crux of my story.”
Badiger is elated that his film will premiere at the upcoming festival. “Vanya’s presence at the festival not only elevates Kannada cinema to an international stage but also strengthens the representation of regional films in India’s rich cinematic tapestry,” he says.
‘Vanya’stars Vaijanath Biradar Prakash Belawadi (in the image) and Meghana Belawadi in lead roles.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
The director has also submitted the film to other festivals in Asia and across the world. “This film festival is one of the top festivals in Asia. Among hundreds of films submitted, only a few Kannada films made the cut. Our selection is a matter of pride for the entire Kannada film fraternity,” he says.
“Bringing audiences back to big screens”
Speaking on the larger issue of Kannada films not thriving at the pan-India level, Badiger says the industry lacks good content. “The industry won’t survive only with films like Kantara or KGF. It needs more hits every year.”
He further explains, “Between the 70s and 90s, our industry was very rich because of the native and fresh content. Since the 2000s, however, the industry lost its reputation due to remakes from Telugu and Tamil. There is a clear difference between the quality of films between the 60s and 90s, and in the last 25 years. The Kannada audience is very good. They want to watch films with good content, but we don’t deliver at all. We are losing our audience to other languages.
‘Vanya’ is one of the Kannada films to be showcased in the Indian Panorama segment at the film festival.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
The issue can be solved with consistency, he believes. “We need to acknowledge the dearth of good content and work towards bridging the gap,” says the filmmaker, who is known for his other social-themed films, Rudri and In.
He says the government should do its bit too. “Instead of capping the theatre prices at ₹200 for all films, they should have reduced ticket prices only for Kannada films. That would have gotten us some mileage,” Badiger adds.
After it’s premiere at the IFFI in Goa on November 25, 2025, Vanya will aim for a theatrical release in March 2026.
Published – November 20, 2025 12:39 pm IST
