From a lost watch to plastic-choked oceans, film festival to put environment in focus

A serious theme told with humour and engagement, Down The Drain will open the 19th edition of the Kirloskar Vasundhara International Film Festival (KVIFF), to be held at the Pune International Centre on August 22 from 3 pm to 7.30 pm.

3 min readPuneAug 18, 2026 09:36 PM IST

The panel announcing the film festival on Tuesday, with Arti at the centre in sari. (Express Photo)

In Bengaluru, a woman accidentally flushes a watch down the toilet. The timepiece, an HMT Vijay made in a Bengaluru factory in 1978, had been bought by a young man with his saved pocket money for his Class X exams. Decades later, it passes to his son, who is deeply attached to it.

As the woman realises the magnitude of her mistake, she says, “The watch isn’t mine to forget.” The short film Down The Drain follows her attempt to retrieve it, taking viewers into Bengaluru’s sewage system and highlighting the people and processes that keep the city’s underground network running.

A serious theme told with humour and engagement, Down The Drain will open the 19th edition of the Kirloskar Vasundhara International Film Festival (KVIFF), to be held at the Pune International Centre on August 22 from 3 pm to 7.30 pm.

The evening’s line-up includes This Mortal Plastik, a critically acclaimed and award-winning film in which “a bereaved mother unfolds a surprising journey within and across oceans to understand the contemporary landscape of single-use synthetics”. Another film, Would You Still Love Me If I Was a Frog, follows a young couple in a long-distance relationship as they imagine themselves as three different species — the Cameron Highlands sticky frog, the proboscis monkey and the great hornbill.

This will be the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic forced the festival online that KVIFF is returning to an in-person format, bringing back the shared experience of watching films together. The festival seeks to create environmental awareness and inspire action through storytelling and conversations.

“Films are a strong audio-visual medium, especially for the younger generation. Social media has become audio-visual. If you have to pass a message on, I think films are an extremely important medium,” said Arti Kirloskar, Director, S L Kirloskar CSR Foundation.

This year, the festival is also focusing on the future generation. The morning of August 22 will be dedicated to students from C B Tupe Sadhana Kanya Vidyalay, Loyola High School and St Joseph High School. They will watch two short films, participate in discussions on issues including the impact of changes in the Deccan Plateau on the nomadic lives of the Dhangars, and take part in a theme-based workshop aimed at nurturing environmental consciousness.

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At an event announcing the festival, representatives of the S L Kirloskar CSR Foundation, Suresh Mijar and Jagdish Purandare, along with Kirloskar, Nidhi Bennur, co-founder of The Youth Cosmo, and Dr Kedar Bhagwat, Director, Ecological Society, spoke about curating a festival where information and entertainment go hand in hand.

The evening programme is open to the public, including environmentalists, nature enthusiasts and citizens interested in sustainable living. Ghungroo, a folk dance by the Melghat tribal community, and a student skit, From Wonder to Monster, will also feature.

The festival will conclude with Humans in the Loop, a path-breaking film that explores concerns around AI and tribal culture, among other issues.

Dipanita Nath

Dipanita Nath is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. She is a versatile journalist with a deep interest in the intersection of culture, sustainability, and urban life. Professional Background Experience: Before joining The Indian Express, she worked with other major news organizations including Hindustan Times, The Times of India, and Mint. Core Specializations: She is widely recognized for her coverage of the climate crisis, theatre and performing arts, heritage conservation, and the startup ecosystem (often through her "Pune Inc" series). Storytelling Focus: Her work often unearths "hidden stories" of Pune—focusing on historical institutes, local traditions, and the personal journeys of social innovators. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) Her recent reporting highlights Pune’s cultural pulse and the environmental challenges facing the city during the winter season: 1. Climate & Environment "Pune shivers on coldest morning of the season; minimum temperature plunges to 6.9°C" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on the record-breaking cold wave in Pune and the IMD's forecast for the week. "How a heritage tree-mapping event at Ganeshkhind Garden highlights rising interest in Pune’s green legacy" (Dec 20, 2025): Covering a citizen-led initiative where Gen Z and millennials gathered to document and protect ancient trees at a Biodiversity Heritage Site. "Right to breathe: Landmark NGT order directs PMC to frame norms for pollution from construction sites" (Dec 8, 2025): Reporting on a significant legal victory for residents fighting dust and air pollution in urban neighborhoods like Baner. 2. "Hidden Stories" & Heritage "Inside Pune library that’s nourished minds of entrepreneurs for 17 years" (Dec 21, 2025): A feature on the Venture Center Library, detailing how a collection of 3,500 specialized books helps tech startups navigate the product life cycle. "Before he died, Ram Sutar gave Pune a lasting gift" (Dec 18, 2025): A tribute to the legendary sculptor Ram Sutar (creator of the Statue of Unity), focusing on his local works like the Chhatrapati Shivaji statue at Pune airport. "The Pune institute where MA Jinnah was once chief guest" (Dec 6, 2025): An archival exploration of the College of Agriculture, established in 1907, and its historical role in India's freedom struggle. 3. Arts, Theatre & "Pune Inc" "Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak were not rivals but close friends, says veteran filmmaker" (Dec 17, 2025): A deep-dive interview ahead of the Pune International Film Festival (PIFF) exploring the camaraderie between legends of Indian cinema. "Meet the Pune entrepreneur helping women build and scale businesses" (Dec 16, 2025): Part of her "Pune Inc" series, profiling Nikita Vora’s efforts to empower female-led startups. "How women drone pilots in rural Maharashtra are cultivating a green habit" (Dec 12, 2025): Exploring how technology is being used by women in agriculture to reduce chemical use and labor. Signature Style Dipanita Nath is known for intellectual curiosity and a narrative-driven approach. Whether she is writing about a 110-year-old eatery or the intricacies of the climate crisis, she focuses on the human element and the historical context. Her columns are often a blend of reportage and cultural commentary, making them a staple for readers interested in the "soul" of Pune. X (Twitter): @dipanitanath ... Read More

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