India, Nov. 30 -- same openness, warmth, and unfiltered honesty that have long defined him. But this year carried a special resonance. With 'Tanvi the Great,' '1942: A Love Story,' 'Calorie,' and 'The Bengal Files,' all screening across festival sections, IFFI 2025 hosted what may be described as an unofficial Anupam Kher retrospective. For Kher, who began his career at 28 playing an elderly father mourning the loss of his only son in 'Saaransh,' the festival became not just a showcase of his cinematic journey but a moment of reflection-on craft, choices, risks, and the sheer miracle of staying passionately engaged with life.

Kher's latest directorial venture, 'Tanvi the Great' emerged from a deeply personal space. "I needed to tell a st...