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Four Indian-origin filmmakers win Tasveer–Netflix grants
The Seattle-based program selected the four emerging directors for $35,000 film grants, advancing short-form projects that highlight underrepresented South Asian narratives through focused mentoring and year-long support.
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Anushka Pathak - Sun, 23, Nov 2025
- 02:26 EST
- 17
(Top) L-R: Gayatri Everitt Bajpai, Kavita Parekh; (Bottom) L-R: Andrea Drepaul, Priyanka Shailendra / Courtesy: Tasveer.org
Four Indian-origin filmmakers were named recipients of the 2025 Tasveer Film Fund, with each receiving a $35,000 grant to produce an original short film highlighting underrepresented South Asian experiences.
The announcement, made by Netflix in partnership with Tasveer, reflects ongoing efforts to expand diverse storytelling across global screens.
The selected filmmakers are Andrea Drepaul for 'Rising Tide,' Kavita Parekh for 'Mother Tongue,' Priyanka Shailendra for 'Petticoat,' and Gayatri Everitt Bajpai for 'Wellness.'
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Their projects explore themes ranging from strained family ties to personal identity struggles. The fund, now in its sixth year, offers both financial backing and a year of mentorship from script development through production.
Tasveer co-founder and executive director Rita Meher noted the importance of the selected films, saying, “These filmmakers are telling stories that are fearless, intimate, and deeply human. With Netflix’s unwavering support, we’re helping amplify the future of storytelling.”
Drepaul’s 'Rising Tide' follows a pregnant Indo-Guyanese Canadian woman confronting her long-absent father, triggering consequences that are both physical and metaphysical. Parekh’s 'Mother Tongue' examines a daughter’s efforts to care for her Punjabi-speaking mother as Alzheimer’s worsens communication.
Shailendra’s 'Petticoat' centers on a young woman responding to family turmoil with an act of painful self-assertion. Bajpai’s 'Wellness' portrays siblings navigating conflict during a visit to their father’s silent retreat, where divorce papers disrupt his calm.
Tasveer, a Seattle-based nonprofit that promotes social change through storytelling, administers the fund with Netflix’s continued support.
Its work includes the Oscar-qualifying Tasveer Film Festival and Market, where this year’s films are set to premiere in Oct. 2026. Past recipients have screened internationally and secured distribution deals.
A jury of industry professionals—including Bilal Sami, Ramfis Myrthil, Nekissa Cooper, Smriti Mundhra, and Anushree Shukla—oversaw the selection process. Managed by Uzma Khan and Anushree Shukla, the fund prioritizes narrative shorts that push creative boundaries and elevate marginalized voices.
Tasveer reported more than 500 film submissions in 2024 and distributed $228,000 in prize money, with 60 percent of featured works directed by women or LGBTQ+ filmmakers.
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