Documentary
Nilesh Maniyar & Shonali Bose premiere ‘A Fly On the Wall’ at Busan Film Festival
Mumbai: Having co-written landmark titles such as The Sky is Pink and Margarita with a Straw acclaimed filmmaker duo Nilesh Maniyar and Shonali Bose’s latest work, a feature documentary, is set to have its world premiere at the prestigious 29th Busan International Film Festival.
The film has been selected for the wide-angle documentary competition section, which highlights unique and inspiring cinematic documentary filmmaking voices from around the globe.
In this powerful and heartfelt film directed by the duo, a friendship walks the distance between life and death. With just a week to go before their friend Chika Kapadia’s appointment for physician-assisted suicide, Nilesh encourages Shonali to turn the camera on herself too and become part of the story. Alongside editor Tushar Ghogale they weave a profound tale of the choice of dignity in death and friendship. The film is set against the stunning backdrop of Switzerland, a location ironically familiar for many iconic Bollywood films.
Speaking about their selection at Busan, Director Nilesh Maniyar said, “Chika was a friend who gave more than he took. And what a life-altering impression he left on me in his last days. Hence it was only apt to tell his story via a lens of friendship that Chika and Shonali shared for 25 long years. With the premiere at Busan, we hope to further the conversation about the right to dignity in death, as in life.”
“Fulfilling Chika’s dying wish and shooting this film has been the hardest challenge of my filmmaking career. This film is my love letter to Chika and to life. I am honoured to premiere it at Busan, a festival that values such deeply personal stories.” added Filmmaker Shonali Bose.
A Fly On the Wall marks the third feature film collaboration between Maniyar and Bose presented at the Busan Film Festival, following The Sky Is Pink and Margarita with a Straw.
Documentary
Discovery Channel premieres Unani Ki Kahaani on World Unani Day
Actor Jim Sarbh narrates a journey through Unani medicine, history, and modern wellness
MUMBAI: In celebration of World Unani Day, Discovery Channel has premiered Unani Ki Kahaani, a captivating new documentary narrated by actor Jim Sarbh. The film explores Unani medicine not just as an ancient tradition but as a philosophy of health that remains relevant in today’s world of lifestyle disorders and chronic illnesses.
Produced in collaboration with Hamdard Laboratories, the documentary traces Unani medicine from its roots in ancient Greece to its flourishing practice in India. Along the way, it asks a simple yet profound question: what does it really mean to be healthy? And why do we often treat symptoms without curing the underlying problem?
At the heart of Unani medicine is the belief in balance, between body, mind, spirit, and environment. The documentary reflects on moments like the Covid-19 pandemic, when India turned to both modern medicine and its own centuries-old systems of preventive care.
Jim Sarbh’s narration gives the story a modern voice, guiding viewers through history, philosophy, and science with curiosity and clarity.
Hamdard Laboratories chairman and managing trustee Abdul Majeed said, “Unani Ki Kahaani invites viewers to see healing as more than symptom relief. It is about balance, prevention, and long-term wellbeing. Through Unani medicine, we aim to help everyone understand that true healing restores harmony.”
Commenting on his role, Jim Sarbh added, “Narrating Unani Ki Kahaani was a learning experience. I was struck by how this system connects history, culture, and the idea of living in balance.”
The film brings historical icons such as Hippocrates and Ibn Sina together with Indian pioneers including Hakim Ajmal Khan, Hafiz Abdul Majeed, and Hakeem Abdul Hameed, showing how Unani has evolved as a living, adaptive system shaped by multiple cultures.
Featuring insights from modern medicine, Ayurveda, Unani practitioners, academics, and public health experts, Unani Ki Kahaani bridges traditional knowledge with contemporary healthcare. Its aim is to make holistic healing approachable for everyone, especially younger audiences seeking deeper understanding in a fast-paced world.
