Assamese film "Romantic Affairs" shines at 22nd Third Eye Asian Film Festival

Mumbai: Assamese cinema took centre stage at the 22nd Third Eye Asian Film Festival, with filmmaker Monjul Boruah’s Romantic Affairs emerging as one of the festival’s biggest winners.

The film bagged three major awards in the Indian Competition section—Best Director for Boruah, Best Actress for Kasavi Sonkorison, and a Special Jury Award for actor Boloram Das.

Sharing the news on social media, Boruah wrote: “This is truly a team victory. My deepest thanks to every soul who brought this film to life. Honoured and humbled.”

Assamese cinema’s strong presence at the festival was further underlined by Sanjib Sabhapandit’s Ballad to the Winds, which won Best Film in the Indian Cinema category.

The festival also celebrated cinema from the wider Northeast. Tribeni Rai’s Shape of Momo won the newly introduced Best Directorial Debut Award, instituted to commemorate the 125th birth anniversary of legendary filmmaker V. Shantaram. Actress Gaumaya Gurung also received a Special Jury Award for her performance in the film.

Other notable winners included Rudrajit Roy for Pinger – The Cage and debut director Onkar Bhatkar for The Weight of Longing. In the contemporary Marathi cinema category, Sabar Bond won Best Film, while Rohan Kanawade received the Best Director award. Marathi filmmaker Santosh Davkhar was also recognised for Gondal, among other honours.

Organised in collaboration with the Department of Culture, Government of Maharashtra, the Maharashtra Film, Theatre and Cultural Development Corporation, and the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), the Third Eye Asian Film Festival continues to serve as a vital platform for Asian cinema.