Short film Halwa released on Disney+ Hotstar

Halwa was the first South Asian short film to be premiered on HBO in 2019 and it won the top prize in the HBO Asian Pacific American Visionaries competition. The film was also screened at several prestigious events such as the HollyShorts Film Festival and Austin Film Festival and also became eligible to qualify for an Oscar.

The film, which has been directed by Gayatri Bajpai and Nirav Bhakta, had its premiere on Disney+ Hotstar on 30 July. The short revolves around an older Indian woman who rekindles a relationship with her childhood companion via Facebook messages. Her abusive husband, however, begins to take notice of this.

Vee Kumari headlines the film.

Speaking about the Disney+ Hotstar premiere of the short, Bajpai said, “Halwa is about a woman who immigrated to America, but India contains so many memories for her that have a deep emotional impact on her present. For us as filmmakers from the diaspora, being able to share that with an Indian audience is very fulfilling.”

In 2020, Halwa was one of 16 films in the United Nations-inspired 16 Days 16 Films against gender-based violence. According to its makers, the film has garnered a vast amount of love from audiences, especially the queer community.

Bhakta said, "The tremendous amount of love we've received from our audience so far has been one of the most memorable experiences in the journey of Halwa. We hope the film will continue to resonate and find a place in the hearts of viewers in India.” 

Halwa is distributed by CineShorts Premiere in the Choti Filmein, Bade Kalakaar curation on Disney+ Hotstar.