Small film, big win: Nagesh Kukunoor’s ‘Dhanak’ wins two awards at Berlinale

Last year, it was the heartwarming Marathi film Killa that won in the same category of the film festival and now, Nagesh Kukunoor’s Dhanak (Rainbow) has emerged victorious in the K Plus section of the Berlin International Film Festival. Dhanak, which premiered at the festival last week in a category dedicated to films centred around children, seems to have impressed children and grown-ups alike. The film won two awards: The Grand Prix for the best feature length film of the category, awarded by an international jury, and a Special Mention, chosen by a jury comprising 11 children and seven teenagers.

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Set amid the magical sand dunes of Rajasthan, the film is about an eight-year-old blind boy whose sister, 10, promises him that he will have his vision back before his next birthday. “We were constantly surprised by the twists and turns in their journey, and the unusual, eccentric characters that await them at each and every juncture,” the jury said. The film, which reportedly won an enthusiastic response at the screening, will do the film festival rounds for the next six months, until its theatrical release in India.