Asian Film Awards 2025: Looking At The Two Award Winning Indian Movies From A Traveller's Lens

The 18th Asian Film Awards just concluded at the Grand Theatre of the Xiqu Centre of Hong Kong’s West Kowloon Cultural District. The program that is dedicated to the promotion of local and Asian films and the spirit of original filmmaking witnessed 30 outstanding films from 25 countries and regions as entries in different categories. While many awards were won by films from different Asian regions, it comes as no surprise (yet again!) that Payal Kapadia’s "All We Imagine as Light" bagged the Best Film award. Additionally, "Santosh" starring Shahana Goswami and its director Sandhya Suri won top honours at the Asian Film Awards 2025.Winners At The Asian Film Awards 2025Among other highlights, Daihachi Yoshida clinched the Best Director award for his film "Enemy" and Lau Ching Wan secured the first Asian Film Actor award for his role in "Dad." Lee Kang-sheng and Yang Kuei-mei, both from Taiwan, grabbed the Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress award respectively. The nominations for the film event were announced on January 10, 2025. South Korean film "Exhuma" with 11 nominations emerged as the most-nominated film this year.After the conclusion of the film event that unfolded with much pomp and rigour, we continue to be amazed by the two productions that deal directly to with Indian environs. Outlook Traveller delves into Payal Kapadia’s "All We Imagine as Light" and Sandhya Suri’s "Santosh" to find out what makes them two of the best films of recent times, and why travellers must check them out. All We Imagine As LightIn 2024, Kapadia’s film bagged the prestigious Grand Prix at the 77th Cannes Film Festival following which, the film saw screenings and applause at various film circles. It also earned her a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Director. Winning yet again the Asian Film Awards, Kapadia noted that it was a challenge for her to make this movie—the global recognition of which makes her happy. Being an actor, every role allows her to experience things she has never experienced before, which enriches her life, she added.Seen From A Traveller's LensAs a keen cinema enthusiast and travel writer, it is hard to miss how "All We Imagine…" captures Mumbai’s essence beyond its skyline of glass towers and chaotic streets. The city, often seen as a land of opportunity, is just as much a place of longing, isolation and quiet resilience—especially for its working-class residents. The film is shot in both Mumbai and Ratnagiri, yet the most fascinating aspect of it remains the loneliness of local train rides across the city. While one can visit several places in Mumbai such as the Chor Bazaar, Colaba Causeway and the Marine Drive where the elusive charm of the city that has fascinated directors right from Guru Dutt to Ram Gopal Verma to Kapadia herself, it's the early train rides through Dadar and the like, as in the film, that bring out the so-called 'human condition'. On various occasions, Kapadia has spoken about the cotton mills of Lower Parel and Dadar—elements of a city that remain non-invasive witness of times and deeply entrenched, though not making a fuss of it, in the identity of the city. The city is also a melting pot of cultures and languages; at once a cause for alienation and heterogeneity, giving birth to various community-dominant neighbourhoods where you can experience new traditions and cultures. The city’s essence remains in its contrasts—serenity amid noise, solitude within crowds—much like the film itself.SantoshFor the film "Santosh," Shahana Goswami bagged the Best Actress award and director Suri won the Best New Director. Thanking the jury and Asian Film Awards for recognising the talents from India, Goswami remarked how it certainly inspires her to do a lot more in the future. She noted how she worked hard to do justice to her role as Santosh, which is well corroborated when one watches the film.Seen From A Traveller's LensThe film is an international co-production of the United Kingdom, India, Germany, and France. Shot in Lucknow, the film revolves around a newly widowed housewife who inherits her husband's role as a police constable, and is increasingly embroiled in a murder investigation. The film is shot at real locations over 45 days. In its stirring sequences and befitting locales, the film brings out the rural and the modern contrast of Lucknow and its environs. It focuses on atmospheric alleyways, colonial-era police stations, and bustling markets, capturing the weight of institutional hierarchy and the quiet strength of its protagonist.Exploring Malegaon In Maharashtra, The Filming Location For The Upcoming Movie 'Superboys Of Malegaon'