Nandita Das' 'Zwigato' to have world premiere at Toronto International Film Festival

Mumbai: Kapil Sharma-starrer "Zwigato", directed by Nandita Das, will receive its world premiere at the 47th Toronto International Film Festival.

The film, which features the popular comic in the role of a new food delivery rider, will screen in the 'Contemporary World Cinema' section at the prestigious festival.

Produced by Applause Entertainment and Nandita Das Initiatives, "Zwigato" also stars Shahana Goswami.

Das, who has directed critically-acclaimed films such as "Firaaq" and "Manto", said she is looking forward to the premiere of her latest movie.

"Zwigato is finally ready! A story about new urban India that is not just about the gig economy, but also about everything that we normalise around us. I found the perfect producing partner in Sameer Nair to tell this simple yet complex slice-of-life film. I am thrilled that it will premiere soon at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).

"This means a lot to me personally as I have debuted there both as an actor and director, with 'Fire' and 'Firaaq', respectively. Over the years, several other films have taken me to TIFF. I hope the universality of the theme of the film will resonate with the amazing audiences that the festival attracts from all over the world," the filmmaker said in a statement.

Sameer Nair, CEO Applause Entertainment, described the film as a peek into the lives of the "often unseen people" who are the heart and soul of the nation and its economy.

"Whilst the film is set in urban India, we believe that the themes of this film transcend geographical boundaries and will resonate with the global audience. It has been a pleasure to collaborate with Nandita, and we are delighted that 'Zwigato' will have its world premiere at the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival," added Nair.

Also written by Das, the Bhubaneswar-set film features Sharma as a food delivery person exploring the world of gig economy. Goswani plays his wife, a homemaker, who to support his income, starts to work for the very first time.

"Zwigato" captures what an 'ordinary' family faces in the post-pandemic world, said the makers.

"It is the story of the relentless struggle of life, but not without shared moments of joy. It is life like - bittersweet," they added.

Rima Das' feature "Tora's Husband" will premiere in the 'Platform' section of the TIFF, scheduled to be held from September 8-18.

Veteran filmmaker Shekhar Kapur's romantic comedy "What's Love Got to Do With It?" and first-time director Shubham Yogi's "Kachchey Limbu" will also have their world premiere at the upcoming film festival under the 'TIFF 2022 Gala Presentations' section.