Not ones to give up the opportunity for a party, we recently celebrated Indian director Nagesh Kukunoor’s film journey with a bit of fun, food and lots of drink in Vancouver.

Jugni Style and Indian Summer Arts Society hosted a private dinner for Nagesh Kukunoor, whose film Lakshmi screened at the Vancouver International Film Festival in October. The film looks at child abduction and human trafficking in India, and is inspired by a true story.
Arts and culture types gathered over chaat and South Indian snacks, and discussed everything from where to find the best Hyderbadi biryani in Vancouver (nowhere, it’s impossible to find) to the impact of social activist films in India and elsewhere. Nagesh Kukunoor chatted about his filmmaking journey and shared that his favourite film is still his debut, Hyderabad Blues.
Spotted sipping on wine and soda with Nagesh: Canadian filmmakers Vic Sarin, Nimisha Mukerji, and Mark Ratzlaff; authors Anosh Irani and Ameen Merchant; Vancouver International Film Festival director Prem Gill; Indian Summer Festival artistic director Sirish Rao, managing director Laura Byspalko, and board director Mandeep Dhaliwal; Indian Consul General Ravi Aisola and poet Priti Aisola; Georgia Straight editor Charlie Smith; OMNI News reporter Tarannum Thind; BC film aficionados Anil Patade and Kamal Sharma; Dave Ratnarajah from Creative BC; curator Naveen Girn; playwright and actor Anoushka Ratnarajah and her lovely family; and Jugni Style’s editorial director Manjot Bains.
See photos from the dinner below:
- Ayme Sharma, Prem Gill, Nagesh Kukunoor, Manjot Bains
Ayme Sharma, Prem Gill, Nagesh Kukunoor, Manjot Bains
- Filmmakers Nagesh Kukunoor and Vic Sarin
Filmmakers Nagesh Kukunoor and Vic Sarin
- Georgia Straight editor Charlie Smith, OMNI reporter Tarannum Thind, Riz Rajwani and Laura Byspalko from Indian Summer Festival
Georgia Straight editor Charlie Smith, OMNI reporter Tarannum Thind, Riz Rajwani and Laura Byspalko from Indian Summer Festival
- Riz Rajwani, Nagesh Kukunoor and Tarannum Thind
Riz Rajwani, Nagesh Kukunoor and Tarannum Thind
- Indian Summer Festival’s Laura Byspalko and Sirish Rao
Indian Summer Festival’s Laura Byspalko and Sirish Rao
- Sirish Rao, Nagesh Kukunoor and Laura Byspalko
Sirish Rao, Nagesh Kukunoor and Laura Byspalko
- Priti Aisola and Indian Consul General
Priti Aisola and Indian Consul General
- Jugni Style’s Editorial Director Manjot Bains
Jugni Style’s Editorial Director Manjot Bains
- Filmmakers Nimisha Mukerji and Mark Ratzlaff
Filmmakers Nimisha Mukerji and Mark Ratzlaff
- VIFF director Prem Gill and author Ameen Merchant
VIFF director Prem Gill and author Ameen Merchant
- Anil Patade and Nagesh Kukunoor
Anil Patade and Nagesh Kukunoor
- Filmmaker Nimisha Mukherjee, architect Ayme Sharma, Anil Patade and VIFF’s Prem Gill
Filmmaker Nimisha Mukherjee, architect Ayme Sharma, Anil Patade and VIFF’s Prem Gill
- Laura Byspalko and author Anosh Irani
Laura Byspalko and author Anosh Irani
- Indian Summer director Mandeep Dhaliwal (right) and guest
Indian Summer director Mandeep Dhaliwal (right) and guest
- Shashi and Kamal Sharma
-
- Riz Rajwani, OMNI’s Tarannum Thind, Indian Summer Festival director Naveen Girn and Manjot Bains
Riz Rajwani, OMNI’s Tarannum Thind, Indian Summer Festival director Naveen Girn and Manjot Bains
- Dr. Michael Stevenson, Sirish Rao and Jan Whitford
Dr. Michael Stevenson, Sirish Rao and Jan Whitford
- IMG_3652
-
- IMG_3658
-
- IMG_3680
-
- IMG_3684
-
- Naveen Girn, Nagesh Kukunoor, Laura Byspalko and Manjot Bains
Naveen Girn, Nagesh Kukunoor, Laura Byspalko and Manjot Bains
PreviousNextPreviousNext
Read our interview with Nagesh Kukunoor.
Photography: Jugni Style and Anil Patade