Pranav Birje | Senior Correspondent
NFDC Continues to Champion Indian Stories on the Global Stage with Achappa’s Album & Karken
Adding another feather to India’s cinematic cap, Achappa’s Album (English title: Grampa’s Album), a heartwarming Malayalam-language children’s film, made its mark with a special market screening at the European Film Market (EFM) during the Berlinale 2025 in Germany.
Showcasing a unique drama over familial bonds across generations, Achappa’s Album promises to resonate with audiences worldwide, blending fantasy and comedy into a delightful journey that will appeal to children and adults alike. Achappa’s Album weaves together elements of fantasy, time travel, identity swap and self-discovery. Dr. Mohan Agashe leads the illustrious ensemble of veteran multi-lingual actors such as Adinath Kothare, Priyanka Nair, Omana Ouseph, Anjana Appukuttan, Johny Antony, and debutant Sidhanshu Sanjeev Sivan, who takes on an exciting double role in his first feature.
This unique coming-of-age tale was screened on February 15, 2025 offering international distributors, festival programmers and cinephiles a taste of Indian storytelling with universal appeal.
On the other hand, the film Karken was also invited for consideration for the Berlinale’s Forums section that screens films, however, didn’t make it to their final line-up. Karken is the story of a rural doctor in Arunachal, torn between duty and dreams, risks his job and relationship to chase an acting audition. As personal and professional crises unfold, he faces heartbreak, family struggles, and a life-or-death medical emergency. In the end, with newfound clarity, he embraces his true path and steps out for the audition, transformed.
KARKEN got commended for selection by IFFI-Indian Panorama committee that consisted of many National Award winning film artists. The film secured its World Premiere at 55th IFFI. The film was also invited by Manipur State Film Development Corporation’s Eikhoigi Imphal International Film Festival for its Northeast Premiere. Karken was submitted to the 23rd Pune International Film Festival and it was selected by their programming team under the Indian Cinema section, that highlights best contemporary films from India. The film screened in Pune on 15th February and 17th February, 2025.
The two films truly reflect NFDC’s commitment to promoting authentic Indian narratives that celebrate different cultures within the vibrant fabric of diverse Indian society.