Winner of the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, Rohan Kanawade’s semi-autobiographical debut is a beautifully photographed modern romance exploring grief, family expectations, and queerness in rural India.
Following the death of his father, 30-year-old Anand (Bhushaan Manoj) travels from Mumbai back to his ancestral village for a traditional 10-day mourning period. Overwhelmed by the intensity of the family rituals and mounting pressure from well-meaning relatives to marry, Anand struggles to find space to process his loss.
Relief arrives when he reconnects with his childhood friend, Balya (Suraaj Suman), a local farmer. As the two men spend time together exploring their shared history, their rekindled companionship evolves into deeper feelings of mutual desire.
Set against the vast, rugged landscapes of Western India, Cactus Pears is a quiet and deeply moving portrait of identity and emotional freedom.