Aditya Kripalani’s Main Actor Nahin Hoon wins big at DC South Asian Film Festival

Indian filmmaker Aditya Kripalani’s latest feature, Main Actor Nahin Hoon (I’m Not an Actor), is continuing its winning streak on the international stage. Following its world premiere at the Cinequest Film Festival 2025 in San Jose and an East Coast premiere at the 25th New York Indian Film Festival, where popular Bollywood actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui bagged the Best Actor Award, the film has now made waves at the 14th DC South Asian Film Festival (DCSAFF) as well.

Aditya Kripalani’s Main Actor Nahin Hoon earns global recognition

At DCSAFF, held in Washington D.C. from September 5 to 7, 2025, the film opened the festival to much acclaim and the film’s leading lady Chitrangada Satarupa was given the Best Actress Award for her performance in the film, while Aditya himself received a Jury mention for Best Director.

Known for his socially conscious storytelling in films like Tikli and Laxmi Bomb and Not Today, Aditya has taken a daring leap with this experimental drama. Shot across two countries over 28 days, Main Actor Nahin Hoon features Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Chitrangada Satarupa performing live in real time over video calls,  Nawazuddin in Frankfurt and Satarupa in Mumbai.

Interestingly, the film was shot simultaneously across continents, resulting in raw, authentic performances where each day, ‘Action’ and ‘Cut’ were called. The story follows Mouni, a disillusioned yet principled actor in Mumbai, who meets Adnan Baig, a retired banker in Frankfurt, during an online audition. What begins as a simple acting lesson over video calls soon transforms into a profound exploration of identity, loneliness, and connection.

Speaking about the recognition, Aditya says, “Chitrangada’s performance brought an honesty that struck a chord with audiences. Her award is richly deserved, and the Jury mention is a validation of the risks we took with this film.” Nawazuddin Siddiqui added, “It was a new experience to act only through video calls for 30 days. Eventually, we forgot the technology and focused only on emotions.”

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