Vinod Kapri’s Pyre Continues Historic Global Run with Four Awards in the U.S.

National Award-winning filmmaker Vinod Kapri’s latest feature, Pyre, is on a remarkable winning streak, sweeping four major awards in the United States in just three weeks.

Filmmaker Vinod Kapri receives the Best Film Audience Award from renowned Indian actor Shabana Azmi. (Photo courtesy: Vinod Kapri)

After making waves across European festivals earlier this year, Pyre clinched the Best Feature Film Award at the 14th DC South Asian Film Festival. The momentum carried into Boston, where it took home both the Best Feature Film and Best Director Award at the 8th India International Film Festival of Boston. Days later, at the 16th Chicago South Asian Film Festival, the film won the Best Film Audience Award, presented by legendary actor Shabana Azmi with Pratik Gandhi also in attendance.

Filmmaker Vinod Kapri (Photo Courtesy: Vinod Kapri)

These wins add to Pyre’s growing international acclaim. In July, it received the German Star of India Award for Best Feature Film at the Indian Film Festival of Stuttgart, followed by Audience Choice Awards in Germany, Spain, and the UK. In total, the film has secured nine international honours within a year, an achievement few Indian films have matched.

At its heart, Pyre tells a moving story of Padam and Tulsi, an elderly couple in a remote Himalayan village grappling with loneliness and mortality after being abandoned by younger generations. When a letter arrives from their estranged son after three decades, the narrative shifts from despair to fragile hope. The film’s emotional depth is heightened by performances from non-professional actors Padam Singh (80) and Heera Devi (70), whose authenticity has resonated strongly with audiences.

The production boasts an international creative team, including Academy Award-winning composer Michael Danna, lyricist Gulzar, and editors Patricia Rommel and Subhajit Singha. Produced by Kapri and Sakshi Joshi, the film blends Himalayan realism with global artistry.

Since its world premiere at the 28th Tallinn Black Nights International Film Festival (Estonia) in November 2024—where it was the only Indian film in competition and won the Audience Choice Award—Pyre has travelled widely. It has opened the Bengaluru International Film Festival, screened at Belgium’s MOOOV Film Festival, and earned standing ovations at the New York Indian Film Festival, where its two leads were nominated for acting honours.

With its sweeping festival journey and universal acclaim, Pyre is being celebrated as a landmark in Indian independent cinema, cementing Vinod Kapri’s reputation as one of the country’s most fearless storytellers.

Still from the film Pyre: Photo courtesy Vinod Kapri