Padmakumar Narasimhamurthy's Malayalam movie, Max, Min & Meowzaki, starring Nafisa Ali, Nassar, Adil Hussain and Mandira Bedi, has won the best feature film awards at the 20th Indian Film Festival Stuttgart 2023.
If a cat plays a key part in Max, Min & Meowzaki, a dog is at the centre of the drama in Victor Mukherjee's vigilante action thriller Lakadbaggha starring Anshuman Jha and Ridhi Dogra, which took home the Director's Vision award.
Other awards included Best Documentary, which went to Nisha Pahuja for 'To Kill A Tiger'; Best Short Film for 'Nocturnal Burger' by Reema Maya; Best TVC bagged by 'Mental Health' by Bauddhayan Mukherji; and the Audience Award, which was picked up by the Busan Film Festival favourite 'The Storyteller', with Paresh Rawal and Naseeruddin Shah in prominent roles, by Ananth Narayan Mahadevan.
As the news about the awards came in, a renowned media agency spoke with Lakadbaggha lead actor Anshuman Jha. Expressing his excitement, actor and producer, Anshuman said, "Portraying the character of Arjun in 'Lakadbaggha' has been an immensely gratifying journey for me as an actor and producer. This film holds a special place in my heart as it not only entertains but also leaves a lasting impact on the audience, championing the cause of animal welfare."
"Winning the prestigious German Star Of India 'Vision' Award is a true honour and a validation of our team's collective effort to create impactful cinema. Lakadbaggha aims to stir emotions, spark conversations, and inspire positive change, and I couldn't be prouder of the resounding recognition it has garnered on the global stage," he added.
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The film also stars Milind Soman and Paresh Pahuja in pivotal roles. Produced by First Ray Films, it is streaming on ZEE5.