New Delhi, Sept. 7 -- With his debut feature In Search of the Sky, Gwalior-born Jitank Singh Gurjar makes it clear that he's not a filmmaker concerned with neat narratives and tidy endings. He'd rather tell a slice-of-life story that explores emotional contradictions and leaves viewers to their own interpretations.

Set in rural Madhya Pradesh, the film-which had its world premiere at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival this weekend-follows an aging couple struggling to care for their developmentally disabled adult son, Naran. A lifetime of daily hard labour (not to mention constant mockery from the villagers) has begun to take its toll on the father, causing him to question how much longer he can continue to fulfill his parental...