I attended the 11th edition of The Mosaic International South Asian Film Festival (MISAFF), representing ANOKHI LIFE, a platform deeply committed to elevating South Asian voices and celebrating Canadian cinema. Held from November 24 to 30 across the Living Arts Centre and the Noel Ryan Theatre at the Mississauga Central Library, the festival brought together films from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, the Caribbean, Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Red carpet premieres, powerful screenings, and immersive Q&A sessions created an energetic space for conversation and creativity. I had the chance to chat with Arshad Khan, the visionary founder of MISAFF, to discuss the festival’s growing legacy and its impact on filmmakers across the diaspora.
The festival officially opened at the Aga Khan Museum at 5 p.m. with Pyre, the award-winning Indian film directed by Vinod Kapri. The screening was followed by a thoughtful Q&A, where Kapri shared insights into the film’s emotional depth and social commentary. I also had the opportunity to interview him, diving into the inspirations, challenges, and intent behind Pyre. This year, MISAFF introduced a special two-day symposium on November 27 and 28, designed to connect industry professionals with emerging artists.
This powerful initiative aligns with ANOKHI’s mission to champion new voices. Being present as both a journalist and a representative of ANOKHI made the experience even more meaningful.
Our Exclusive Chat With Arshad Khan
Exclusive: Arshad Khan On MISAFF’s Legacy & Vinod Kapri On The Soul of ‘Pyre’ | Photo Credit: https://www.instagram.com/?hl=en
Mehak Kapoor: Welcome to ANOKHI MEDIA! I’m Mehak, so nice to meet you.
Thank you for organising the festival with enthusiasm and honesty. I’m Mehak Kapoor from ANOKHI LIFE. Thank you so much for speaking with me today.
Arshad Khan:Thank you so much, by the way. I love ANOKHI – it is definitely unusual and unique. And I met Raj Girn many years ago, and she was on a journey. She wanted to make a difference, to create change, to create a space for South Asian voices, and to make an impact.
I am also so inspired by Raj. And Raj is always so loving; Anokhi is so loving. So thank you for coming to the Mosaic International South Asian Film Festival, the Red Carpet Gala. It’s the eleventh edition of MISAFF, and we’re really happy that you have joined us on this journey throughout all these years.
Mehak Kapoor: Beautiful. Thank you so much, Arshad, for the sweet words. As MISAFF has celebrated its eleventh edition in 2025, featuring an impressive lineup of 94 films, we would love to hear about your journey and what it means to you to have reached this milestone today.
Arshad Khan: So MISAFF is now in its eleventh edition. We have over a hundred films this year, twenty-two feature films, and the rest are short and medium-length films. It means a lot; the festival has grown from a four-day event into a full week-long celebration. This year, we also introduced a film industry symposium led by Ontario Creates, Telefilm Canada, the Canadian Media Fund, and the Canadian Independent Screen Fund. They have all contributed to making MISAFF happen this year. We have ACTRA Toronto participating, the Directors Guild of Canada giving a talk, and the Canada Council for the Arts joining us. Over those two days, we will discuss creating series, developing content, making films, and, most importantly, how to secure funding for your work. We finally decided to elevate MISAFF so that filmmakers can gain something meaningful from the festival rather than only giving.
We now have a full week of programming. The opening took place at the Aga Khan Museum, which is an architectural marvel, and the rest of the screenings are being held in Mississauga at the Living Arts Centre and the Noel Ryan Auditorium at the Mississauga Central Library.
Exclusive: Arshad Khan On MISAFF’s Legacy & Vinod Kapri On The Soul of ‘Pyre’
Mehak Kapoor: That’s massive, Arshad. Which themes or cinematic voices are you most eager to highlight?
Arshad Khan:Our theme is survival; storytellers are survivors. We have all witnessed two years of an incredible and unimaginable genocide, and we are carrying that awareness with us. We believe our people deserve liberty, love, and freedom. We are also showcasing three beautiful Palestinian films: Once Upon a Time in Gaza, Palestine 36, and All That’s Left of You. These are powerful, stunning works, and we want to keep all those people in our hearts as we step into the eleventh year of the festival. Our goal is to elevate our storytelling.
We have films from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Iran, Canada, the USA, the United Kingdom, and the Caribbean. This year, our VISTA star is Richard Young, who represents the Caribbean, Trinidad, Tobago, and Guyana. We want to remain truly inclusive and highlight excellent stories from across the world.
Mehak Kapoor: That’s great, Arshad. MISAFF has become a beacon for the South Asian diaspora, right? How does it feel to see Anokhi Life especially embracing this movement? And what impact do you think it will have?
Arshad Khan:Well, I think Anokhi has been a truly wonderful place for South Asians to come together across the world. And you know, just like the Mosaic Festival and just like CCAI, Anokhi also believes in bringing everyone together in the spirit of unity, harmony, love, and uplifting one another. MISAFF is aligned with that, and that is why I think Anokhi has been our partner all these years, because Raj personally cares for people, and Anokhi genuinely cares about South Asian storytelling and South Asian stories. We are very fortunate to have the support and love of our community and our partners.
Mehak Kapoor: Finally, what role do you believe MISAFF plays in promoting South Asian representation in mainstream Canadian and international film spaces, and how does it contribute to this cause?
Arshad Khan:The way MISAFF is contributing to the world is both very clear and highly significant. We are an independent film festival, not Hollywood, and we focus on encouraging independent storytelling with purpose, often created on very modest budgets.
For example, we have supported filmmakers like Amartya Bhattacharyya throughout his career, including his film Lahari. We also showcase incredible films such as Secret of a Mountain Serpent, which recently won an award at the Venice Film Festival, and Ghost School by Seemab Gul, a beautiful TIFF selection. Our lineup also includes Evergreen, Middle Eastern cinema, and works by Middle Eastern and South Asian filmmakers such as Miriam Juber, whose feature films are brilliant and visually stunning. This year, Amy Miller’s Manufacturing the Threat is featured, an important film that explores Canada’s role in targeting Muslim communities and implicating innocent people for political agendas.
Over seven days, MISAFF presents this incredible diversity of voices and stories, and we sincerely hope audiences will come and support the festival as we continue bringing these unique and powerful narratives to light.
Mehak Kapoor: That’s superb, Arshad, from the incredible lineup to the excitement of watching Vinod Kapri’s Pyre next. Congratulations once again, and I look forward to speaking with you again soon.
Following my insightful conversation with Arshad Khan, I sat down with Vinod Kapri, the filmmaker behind Pyre, the acclaimed and award-winning Indian feature.
Our Exclusive Chat With Vinod Kapri
Exclusive: Arshad Khan On MISAFF’s Legacy & Vinod Kapri On The Soul of ‘Pyre’ | Vinod Kapri & Mehak Kapoor At MISAFF 2025 Opening Night
Mehak Kapoor: Congratulations, Vinod, on Pyre. Today marks the Canadian premiere of your powerful film, and it’s a pleasure to meet you.
I’m Mehak Kapoor from ANOKHI LIFE. We’ve heard a great deal about your film and have followed its journey closely. Pyre has already earned significant acclaim. How does this global recognition feel for you at this moment?
Vinod Kapri: Yes, it’s truly amazing. The way people are appreciating this film across the globe, especially considering that both of the leads are non-actors, real villagers from the Indian Himalayas, has been overwhelming. The reception in Europe and America, in particular, has been incredibly heartwarming. It’s a completely surreal experience for me. When I began making this film and first envisioned the story, I never imagined it would receive this level of appreciation. I feel very blessed that people are connecting with it so deeply. Thank you for that.
Mehak Kapoor: Congratulations once again, Vinod. How would you describe what Pyre is truly about at its core?
Vinod Kapri: Pyre is a story of love and loss. I would describe it as a melancholic ballad set in the Indian Himalayas. It follows the love story of an elderly couple who are completely alone, waiting for death, yet still finding ways to celebrate their final days together. I felt this was such a beautiful and soulful love story, and I knew I had to tell it.
Mehak Kapoor: And as an award-winning director, what drew you to the story of Pyre?
Vinod Kapri:Yes, actually in 2017, when I was trekking in the Indian Himalayas in Uttarakhand, I met this elderly couple. I asked them about the biggest challenge they were facing. The husband told me that his greatest worry was that if he died first, who would take care of his wife. And she said the same, that if she died first, who would look after him. I was struck by the fact that after sixty or seventy years together, their deepest concern was still each other. I felt there was a beautiful love story in that moment, and that became the inspiration behind Pyre.
Mehak Kapoor: The film features a remarkable international creative team, from Academy Award-winning composer Mychael Danna to German editor Patricia Rommel working with the legendary Indian lyricist Gulzar crafting the songs.
How did this diverse team shape the film’s artistic identity, and what was your experience collaborating across cultures and styles?
Vinod Kapri: Yes, it truly felt like a blessing from all of them. When I began making the film with non-actors, I initially thought it would be very difficult to approach such incredible talent, such amazing storytellers and filmmakers. But when people like Mychael Danna, Patricia Rommel, and Gulzar Saab watched the rushes, they immediately said, “Yes, we’re doing your film.”
I was very honest with them and explained that this was a completely independent film, that I didn’t have the budget and couldn’t afford them, but that I deeply hoped they would contribute. And they told me not to worry about the budget at all, whether there was money or not, they were committed to doing the film. So yes, it was an absolute blessing to have people like Michael Dana, Patricia, and Gulzar Saab come on board.
Mehak Kapoor: Amazing. You also mentioned the elderly couple, the senior couple living in Uttarakhand.
Could you please speak more about them and share their story? And for the Anokhi Media audience, could you also talk about the characters in the film?
Vinod Kapri: Yes, both of them, Padam Singh and Hira Devi, are non-actors. They are villagers from the Indian Himalayas, and working with them was certainly challenging, but I wanted the film to feel completely raw and authentic. I wanted audiences to feel like a fly on the wall, simply observing life as it unfolds. I auditioned around forty to fifty people and spent two to three years searching specifically for non-actors. When I finally met them, I immediately felt they were exactly who I had been looking for.
We conducted workshops with them, and I first shot the entire film, every scene, on my mobile phone during rehearsals. Once I felt confident that they were ready and that I could shoot the film with them, we brought in the full crew and began production.
Mehak Kapoor: That is amazing. So it was basically a random trip to Uttarakhand where you met these two wonderful people, and you decided to cast them in your film?
Vinod Kapri:Yes, initially meeting the real couple was completely by chance during a random trip. But later, when I was specifically looking for non-actors, it became a planned journey. I was searching for ordinary villagers, authentic, raw individuals to bring the story to life.
Mehak Kapoor: You produced this film with Sakshi Joshi, correct? How did this partnership contribute to the project?
Vinod Kapri:Yes, she is my wife, and it’s truly amazing, without Sakshi, I wouldn’t have been able to bring this film to life.
Mehak Kapoor: And won so many international awards!
Vinod Kapri:Yes, this journey would have been completely impossible without her. She is my strength and the one who gave me the confidence to make this film. So, of course, I owe so much to her.
Mehak Kapoor: That’s beautiful and truly soulful. Last question, Pyre is gaining strong festival momentum worldwide. What’s next for you and Sakshi together?
Vinod Kapri:I’m not sure what’s next for me. I’m even considering stepping away from filmmaking for now. This film has completely drained me, financially, mentally, physically, and emotionally. I was so passionate about Pyre, and I still am, but the process has been incredibly intense, almost consuming me from the inside. Making such independent films is very challenging, especially since there’s little support from studios. For independent filmmakers, creating meaningful cinema like this is truly a tough journey.
Mehak Kapoor: Yes, but at least festivals around the world are supporting independent directors, filmmakers, and actors.
And I hope you continue creating these magical projects, because these are the South Asian voices we need, especially the Indian voices that deserve to be heard and celebrated. Also, congratulations once again, Vinod, and thank you for speaking with me.
Vinod Kapri:Yes, sure, thank you so much Mehak and Anokhi Life for speaking with me.
Following my insightful conversation with Vinod Kapri, I had the opportunity to attend the Canadian premiere of Pyre, the award-winning film written and directed by Kapri and produced by his wife, Sakshi Joshi. Every artist in the film is a non-actor, which adds to its authenticity and raw emotion. The film runs for 111 minutes.
MK’s Review – Pyre
MISAFF Opening Night: Exclusive with Founder Arshad Khan and Filmmaker Vinod Kapri & the Canadian Premiere of Award-Winning Pyre | Still From ‘Pyre’
I was completely captivated watching Pyre, what an extraordinary film! The story revolves around Padam Singh and his wife Hira Devi, an elderly couple living in isolation in the Himalayas, patiently waiting for their son who left decades ago. As storms batter their home and their village slowly empties, their hope never falters, even when it seems impossible. I found myself moved to tears multiple times, deeply touched by their unwavering love, quiet strength, and the way they face life’s challenges together.
What makes the film so powerful is its authenticity. Padam Singh and Hira Devi, both villagers with no formal acting experience, bring a raw, natural presence to every scene. Their moments of gentle humor, frustration, and tenderness feel completely real, making you feel like a silent observer of their lives. The haunting music by Mychael Danna, paired with Gulzar’s poetic lyrics, enhances the rugged beauty of Uttarakhand and the intimacy of their world. From the long, difficult treks to the plains to small acts of care between the couple, the film reflects the full spectrum of human experience; love, struggle, resilience, and hope.
Pyre is simple, honest, and unforgettable. It lingers long after the credits roll, leaving you with a profound sense of life’s fragility and the enduring power of love. It is a must watch!
Mehak Kapoor (@makeba_93) is an entertainment and lifestyle journalist with over a decade of experience in anchoring and content creation for TV and digital platforms. Passionate about storytelling and factual reporting, she enjoys engaging with diverse audiences. Outside of work, she finds solace i...
