India, May 18 -- Filmmaker Neel Soni is in "disbelief" after his film Babli By Night made the British Academy Film Awards' (BAFTA) 2025 Student Awards longlist.

Neel, the son of designer Ashish Soni, is the only Indian filmmaker on the list. He tells us, "To have my film represent me and my country on such a big stage, it's the greatest feeling I've ever had in my life. Words cannot explain how grateful and honoured I am."

Babli By Night tells the story of transgender forest guard Babban battling an unexpected HIV diagnosis and was listed in the Documentary category. The 23-year old explains that he hadn't originally intended for the film to tackle gender identity. "I didn't really go out seeking to make a film about the transgender com...