Every child deserves peace, freedom, liberation, Palestine no exception: Anuparna Roy at VFM
Roy became first Indian to win Best Director at Venice’s International Film Festival
New Delhi / Venice: Indian debut filmmaker Anuparna Roy has made history at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, becoming the first Indian to win the Best Director award in the Orizzonti (Horizons) section. She received the honour for her feature film Songs of Forgotten Trees, which stood as the only Indian entry in this prestigious category this year.
Roy received the award at the festival’s closing ceremony, where the jury was headed by French director Julia Ducournau. Dressed in a white saree, she described the moment as “surreal” and extended heartfelt thanks to the jury, cast, crew, producers, and Anurag Kashyap, the film’s presenter.
While accepting the award, Roy addressed the ongoing Gaza conflict, stating: “Every child deserves peace, freedom, and liberation, and Palestine is no exception. It is a responsibility to think for a moment and stand beside Palestine. I might upset my country but it doesn’t matter to me anymore”. Her remarks immediately sparked debate and discussion on social media.
Songs of Forgotten Trees weaves the story of two migrant women living in Mumbai—Thooya, an aspirant actress, and Swetha, a corporate professional—who form a connection despite their different paths. The film, backed by Anurag Kashyap, was directed by Roy and features performances by Naaz Shaikh and Sumi Baghel and explores themes of urban loneliness, resilience, and shared humanity.
Multiple Indian and international outlets have hailed the victory as a significant milestone for Indian cinema, placing a spotlight on indie filmmaking in the global arena. Bollywood star Priyanka Chopra also took to social media to laud Roy’s achievement, noting its importance for women filmmakers and Indian storytelling worldwide.
"It is a responsibility to think for a moment and stand beside Palestine. I might upset my country but it doesn't matter anymore," says Indian filmmaker Anuparna Roy after winning Best Director award in the Orizzonti section at Venice Film Festival. pic.twitter.com/u3CJLxKQhK
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ED arrests Punjab minister Sanjeev Arora in fresh PMLA case
New Delhi/Chandigarh (PTI): The Enforcement Directorate on Saturday arrested Punjab industries minister Sanjeev Arora in a fresh money laundering case against him and some entities allegedly linked to him, officials said.
Arora was taken into custody under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after raids were conducted at his official residence in Chandigarh since early morning, they added.
Officials claimed Arora (62) was "non-cooperative" during the probe. He is expected to be produced before a local court on Saturday, where the agency will seek his custody for a detailed interrogation.
The ED carried out the searches at five premises across north India as part of the action.
The raids also covered two premises in Delhi and that of a company named Hampton Sky Realty Ltd in Gurugram's Udyog Vihar.
The searches were launched after the central agency registered a fresh case under the criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the officials said.
