Our top five for 2025 – from the editor’s desk
What we liked and what made an impact and what we won’t forget quickly… Subscribe and follow for more in 2026!
1.Cannes Film Festival – ‘Homebound’ world premiere – our ten years of video there
This year Cannes was even more special because we had racked up 10 years of covering the festival in video – we had a bigger team and did more social media videos as well as YouTube ones too – 30 in all.
The pick of the interviews and our coverage in general was being able to speak to the stars of the Indian film, ‘Homebound’ – it is India’s official entry to the Oscars and is a powerful film dissecting class, caste, faith, opportunity and discrimination in a way few Indian films do these days.
While it may have left domestic audiences a little cold – Neeraj Ghaywan has made a film with his heart very much on his sleeve and deserves huge credit. Produced by Bollywood mogul and chat show host Karan Johar – this is a classy, and absorbing film that left many at the world premiere in Cannes in tears. Interviewing two outright Bollywood stars in Janhvi Kapoor (the daughter of Indian screen legend Sridevi) and Ishaan Khattar (from a family of stars) was thrilling, so too was the emergence of Vishal Jethwa as the co-lead. Three friends aspire to government positions, the two men are desperate to join the police force; the sacrifices they all make are huge and then near the end, the pandemic throws more obstacles in their direction.
The interview was one of the best not just of the year – but the many we have done in Cannes over the years. Everyone is on point and succinct. Read the comments too.
2 Rushil Ranjan – musician and composer to watch, listen, admire…
NOT A HOUSEHOLD name – yet. The versatile composer and musician has made a name for himself alongside his singer and now wife, Abi Sampa, in the world of classical and orchestral music. The two are immensely talented and you will be hearing a lot more about them as the years pass.
Both are now Associate Artists at the Royal Albert Hall (RAH) and are scheduled to play a concert with a man who represents so much of what Indian cinema music is about – AR Rahman. Tickets are already selling well…it will be in the RAH April 24-26, then goes on a global tour…
It was great to sit down with Ranjan and talk about the couple’s rise through music and their unique Qawwali Orchestral Project. Watch this interview – the UK has its on version of AR Rahman coming!
It’s also the longest published interview we have ever done at 26.40 mins – the comments underneath are lovely too…
3 Kochi Muziris Biennale – Dreamy, resplendent, nurturing
WE HAVE written a lot recently about this four-month long art exhibition which only closes on March 31 next year. If you get the opportunity, go – you won’t be disappointed. There might not be quite the 40 venues I mentioned in our videos – but there are some 20 main ones and most are strung along Fort Kochi, Mattancherry and Willingdon Island (don’t miss the Warehouse venue…).
This opening video gives you some flavour of it and watch our final one too (still pending at the time of publication – subscribe to our YouTube channel, click 🔔 and you won’t miss!) and we have to say something again about Indu Antony and her work ‘Iver’ and the response to it. Just phenomenal.
So many views and still counting… Indu Antony (pictured below) and her work, ‘Iver’ (behind her)
Watch – https://www.instagram.com/p/DSPnM2Zk8lo
4 Bradford 2025 – UK City of Culture: rejuvenation, energy, spirit
TO BE HONEST, we hadn’t ever been to the city before this – we loved it. From the Opening show (‘Rise’) to the final ‘Brighter Still’ on the shortest day on December 21 – there was something almost wholesome, innocent and inspiring – a coming together, we felt was genuine and sincere – long may it continue, led by Shanaz Gulzar, an artist as creative director – and guys, visit and note how this city should be on your Northern travel tour!
5 Berlinale – Cold but warm and hearty in spirit and verve
THERE were several Indian films and being on our own – no video team – meant getting the tripod out and working the sound myself – thankfully it worked and it was great to speak to Arjun Talwar about his ‘Letters from Wolf Street‘ at the Berlin International Film Festival. This is a Polish film but has a lot to say about South Asian immigration to the West; obviously Poland is not the UK, but it’s funny, enlightening and has a powerful, unseen edge because of what happened to Talwar’s fellow Indian student and friend and it is what set him on this particular path. The Indian friend committed suicide because he was alienated and too alone. This documentary is doing the rounds in Continental Europe, we hope it will still come to the UK too. The sun shone on our arrival but it was cool -4C. The weather got better – it didn’t snow and was bright and sunny, if still a little chilly, but great walking conditions, so long as you wrapped up well and liked walking around this historic city…
Finally, do subscribe to our YouTube (YT) channel if you haven’t already… we are now tantalisingly close to that magic 10K figure, still very much tiny in global YT terms but for a small bird it would mean a lot and represent a big step forward, especially in light of exciting plans for 2026!
A few things will be changing in 2026, if you want to keep up todate and get closer to our stories and us a media channel, subscribe when you first click on the site…
And we can’t end 2025 without saying a big thanks to everyone who engaged with us – whether that be with interviews, screenings or press nights at the theatre. Thank you and Happy New Year to you all!
And a big thanks to the www.asianculturevulture.com team – Suman Bhuchar (Associate Editor), video colleagues – Harry Clegg, Natalie Barrass and Adrianne McKenzie.
For many of our social media videos – Anuj Deo
And last but certainly not least our special film festival correspondents – Tatiana Rosenstein (Venice, Cannes) and Brigitte Leloire Kerackian (Cannes).
Here’s to a wonderful 2026 where the bird flies higher and its wings get bigger…
Over and out…2025
Sailesh Ram (editor and founder www.asianculturevulture.com)
