From Street Plays to Cannes: The Remarkable Journey of ‘Nukkad Naatak’

In an industry dominated by massive budgets and celebrity names, Hindi independent film Nukkad Naatak has emerged as a refreshing reminder that storytelling still holds power. Written by Tanmaya Shekhar, the film has now reached one of cinema’s biggest global stages, the Cannes Film Festival.But the journey to Cannes was anything but glamorous. The title card of the film cheekily reads, “How to Enter Bollywood Presents," a playful nod to the unconventional hustle that went behind promoting the project. With no major production house, no superstar cast, and limited funding, the team relied on creativity, grassroots campaigning, and relentless belief, and it worked.A Caravan, Street Plays and 15 CitiesLong before Nukkad Naatak began streaming on Netflix, its makers hit the roads of North India with a caravan, travelling across nearly 15 cities to spread the word about the film. Along the way, the team staged street theatre performances, interacted with audiences directly, and created over 25 short-form social media videos to generate buzz.Director Tanmaya and co-producer-actor Molshri quickly realised that making a good film was only half the battle. The bigger challenge was getting people to watch it. Their determination paid off.When the film released in February across nearly 40 screens in cities including Mumbai, Indore and Bhopal, audiences responded enthusiastically. Several shows reportedly ran housefull during the opening weekend, a rare feat for a small independent film. Soon after its theatrical release, the film landed on Netflix on April 24, taking its story to a much wider audience.A Story Rooted in Two IndiasAt its heart, Nukkad Naatak is both a social drama and a coming-of-age film. It follows two engineering students who are expelled from college and asked to enrol five children from a nearby slum into school if they wish to be reinstated. What begins as a simple task slowly forces them to confront the harsh realities of child labour, privilege, and social inequality.The film sharply contrasts two worlds, elite engineering campuses and struggling slum communities, where even basic necessities remain out of reach.Tanmaya says the story was deeply inspired by his own experiences growing up around IIT campuses. An alumnus of Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, he previously worked as a data scientist in the United States before eventually pursuing filmmaking full-time.The idea for the film took shape during a visit home when he accompanied his mother to teach children in a nearby slum. Witnessing the stark divide between privileged academic spaces and underprivileged communities left a lasting impact on him.Beyond Keyboard ActivismOne of the film’s strongest themes is its critique of performative activism. Through the protagonists, one outspoken and politically expressive, the other introverted and conflicted, the story explores how many people engage with social issues only from a distance, often through social media posts rather than real-world action. The film pushes its characters out of their comfort zones and into uncomfortable realities, gradually transforming their understanding of responsibility and empathy.The cast features debut performances by Molshri, Shivang Rajpal, Danish Hussain and Nirmala Hazra — whom Tanmaya calls “the find of the film.”Crowdfunding, Community Support and CannesUnlike mainstream Bollywood projects, Nukkad Naatak was funded collectively. Tanmaya reached out to friends, IIT alumni, and supporters who believed in the story. Around 30 to 35 individuals contributed towards the project, helping cover everything from production and post-production to marketing and festival submissions. The total budget eventually touched nearly ₹2.5 crore.Even then, distribution remained a struggle. OTT platforms initially hesitated to back a film without stars. Support eventually came from acclaimed filmmaker Imtiaz Ali, who appreciated the project and even featured in one of its promotional videos, helping boost visibility.Today, the same indie film that once struggled for screenings has reached the Cannes Film Festival — an achievement many aspiring filmmakers are celebrating as a victory for independent cinema itself.