At its World Premiere in New York City, Anshuman Jha and Zareen Khan starrer - 'Hum Bhi Akele Tum Bhi Akele' has bagged the 'Best Film' Audience Choice Award at the HBO South Asian International Film Festival. The Harish Vyas directorial is India's first film with LGBTQ protagonists of the opposite sex with Anshuman playing a gay man in 'Veer' and Zareen as the lesbian woman 'Mansi' - and it follows their road trip from Delhi to Mcloedgunj and their friendship.
Anshuman Jha and Zareen Khan were both present at the World Premiere which saw a big number of LGBTQ members in the audience in a packed house show. With Jha getting a lot of 'I love you Veer' messages from some of the gay community post the screening of the film.
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The film which premiered on November 22nd to a packed house at Village East Cinemas in Manhattan was unanimously chosen as the best film at the HBO presented Film Festival with a message from the Festival head Shilen Amin -'Hum Bhi Akele Tum Bhi Akele' is the changed face of new age Indian cinema. Brilliant performances, the very best of production values and a topical script which engages and entertains. We would like to congratulate Anshuman Jha on choosing such novel scripts and Harish Vyas for telling such beautiful stories.'
The film is a journey of discovering the love in friendship. 'Hum Bhi Akele, Tum Bhi Akele' - the screenplay was also an official Selection at the South Asian Film Market (SAFM) in Singapore as one of the ten best screenplays from Asia in November 2018 and this first award at its World Premiere has made the team ecstatic. Says Harish Vyas, 'This is heartening. Anshuman was the first actor who green lit this project after several big names had refused it as they were worried about the concept. We developed the script for over a year, took it to the film market and made it in record time. I thank Anshuman for being the backbone of this film through development and shoot - and according to me giving his most nuanced performance since LSD. To Zareen for auditioning and playing Mansi with the attitude that she has - they will win many hearts.'
