Maharshi Tuhin Kashyap’s first full-length film, Kok Kok Kookkook, will make its world premiere at the 30th Busan International Film Festival. The film appears in the Vision Asia section. That section highlights new voices across the continent.
The film comes from the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute in Kolkata. Maharshi developed it as his final dissertation. Filmmaker Dominic Sangma mentored the project. What began as a student film moved quickly into a larger conversation.
Kok Kok Kookkook sits at the crossroads of magic realism and horror. The story unfolds in Guwahati. It follows migrants who seek a place to belong. The city shows both rough edges and quiet beauty. That mix gives the film its shape. The subject feels timely in a region where identity often carries weight.
Maharshi made a name with short films. His shorts screened at festivals abroad and won prizes. Moving to a feature film tests technique and patience. The Busan selection signals industry belief in his craft. It also raises a simple point. Good papers and good schools still matter. So does steady work.
For Assamese cinema, the selection matters beyond one film. Regional films from the northeast find fewer routes to global screens. When a film from Guwahati reaches Busan, it draws new attention. Filmmakers from the area now look toward international festivals more often. That shift changes how stories travel.
The Vision Asia section keeps a watchful eye on films that push form and voice. Festival programmers choose titles that feel urgent. Inclusion here means the film likely speaks to audiences outside Assam. It also means programmers saw something original in Maharshi’s approach. Practical details follow. The Busan festival runs from 17 to 26 September. Filmmakers and buyers will gather in South Korea. The world premiere will give the film its first public audience. After Busan, the film may find further screenings and distributors.
Maharshi’s film carries a clear intent. It asks who belongs and who does not. It uses myth and mood rather than spectacle. For viewers who are curious about modern Assamese cinema, this film offers a modest but firm entry point. For Maharshi, it marks the start of a new phase, but for Assam, it adds another name to a slowly growing list of voices on the international stage.
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