Phoolan poster / Provided

With just six weeks remaining until the 51st edition of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), around 120 films have been announced across the Gala, Platform, and Special Presentations sections. Notably featured in the lineup are Phoolan by Richie Mehta and Strong Son by Ian Bawa—both directors of Indian-Canadian heritage.

Starring Sneha Kumari in the lead role, Phoolan is based on the autobiography I Phoolan Devi – The Autobiography of India's Bandit Queen. Produced for Namah Pictures Production by Shereen Mantri Kedia, Kishor Arora, and Kanwal Kohli, the film also features prominent performances by Anurag Thakur, Vikram Pratap Singh, Akash Dahiya, Pratik Pachori, and Dev Dutt Budholia.

Phoolan Devi’s dramatic transformation from a notorious Chambal bandit to a Member of the Indian Parliament was a subject of intense debate in India for over two decades. In this film, director Richie Mehta primarily focuses on a tense, 48-hour standoff involving nearly 2,000 military personnel that ultimately led to her surrender.

This is not the first time Phoolan Devi’s life story has been adapted for the big screen. In 1994, Shekhar Kapur directed the critically acclaimed Bandit Queen, starring Seema Biswas. The film won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film, and Seema Biswas was honored as Best Actress.

Richie Mehta, an acclaimed filmmaker with roots in Canada, gained widespread international recognition after directing the first season of Delhi Crime for Netflix. He previously created the series Poacher for Amazon Prime, which has also acquired the global distribution rights for Phoolan.

"During production, I was given complete artistic freedom to capture everything I had envisioned for this film," says Mehta.

Richie Mehta / Provided

"During production, I was given complete artistic freedom to capture everything I had envisioned for this film," says Mehta.

Mehta’s debut feature, Amal, was selected for the 2007 San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival, where lead actor Rupinder Nagra won Best Actor at the 2008 Whistler Film Festival. His 2013 film, Siddharth, also garnered significant acclaim at the Toronto and Pyongyang (North Korea) film festivals.

Meanwhile, Ian Bawa is a Winnipeg, Manitoba-based filmmaker of Indian origin who previously directed short films and news series. His selection at TIFF, Strong Son, is a feature-length adaptation of his 2020 short film of the same name.

The film stars Mandeep Sodhi as a bodybuilder son who steps away from his routine to move back home and become a full-time caregiver after witnessing his aging father's decline. Amrit Parbhakar plays the father, alongside a cast featuring Michaela Kurimsky, Suzanne Pringle, Yuvraj Singh Dhesi, Erik Athavale, Onalee Ames, and Kristian Jordan.

Reflecting on the personal nature of the film, Bawa shares:

"This is the most personal film that I've taken on and I feel immense joy and responsibility to honor my father and family with it."

Ian Bawa / Provided

Growing up in Winnipeg—a city with a relatively small Indian community compared to other major Canadian hubs—Bawa recalls his upbringing:

"Because there were very few Indians around my neighborhood and school, and because I faced teasing from peers, I tried hard to conceal my Indian identity during my school years. As time went on, I realized that was wrong and that our Indian culture is something to be celebrated and held high," says Bawa.

When Bawa was 20, his mother passed away. Seeing his once-strict father struggle emotionally and physically with illness, they put aside their differences to support one another.

 

Strong son, director with actors / Provided

"When you lose one parent, cracks appear in the family's foundation. When the other passes, you feel truly orphaned. My dad was my shadow, my muse, and my best friend. Now, I miss him a lot," Bawa expresses.

Grateful for the immense support received from friends, family, and public funding bodies throughout production, Bawa now eagerly awaits the film's world premiere alongside international audiences.

The 51st Toronto International Film Festival will take place from September 10 to September 20, 2026.

Discover more at New India Abroad.