| File:Sister Midnight.jpg UK theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Karan Kandhari |
|---|---|
| Produced by |
|
| Written by | Karan Kandhari |
| Starring | |
| Music by | Paul Banks |
| Cinematography | Sverre Sørdal |
| Edited by | Napoleon Stratogiannakis |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Altitude Film Distribution (UK) |
Release date |
|
Running time | 110 minutes |
| Country |
|
| Language | Hindi |
| Box office | $316,036[1][2] |
Sister Midnight is a 2024 dark comedy film directed and written by Karan Kandhari in his directorial debut. The film stars Radhika Apte as a woman who is dragged into an unhappy arranged marriage and experiences chaotic events.
The film had its world premiere at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival during its Directors' Fortnight section on 19 May 2024. It was nominated at the 78th BAFTA Awards for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer.[3][4] The film was released theatrically in India on 30 May 2025.[5]
Premise[edit | edit source]
A woman is transformed into a disturbing and ruthless figure after entering an arranged marriage.[6][7]
Cast[edit | edit source]
- Radhika Apte as Uma
- Ashok Pathak as Gopal
- Chhaya Kadam as Sheetal
- Smita Tambe as Reshma
- Subhash Chandra as Sher Singh
Production[edit | edit source]
In 2022, the project received a £1.03 million production grant from the British Film Institute.[8] The film was shot on Kodak and Panavision.[9]
Filming[edit | edit source]
Filming took place almost entirely on location in Mumbai between February and April 2023, including slum exteriors, a purpose-built wooden shack for interior scenes, and real public spaces such as train stations and Marine Drive. A brief sequence featuring a samurai warrior was shot in Scotland.[10]
Release[edit | edit source]
Sister Midnight had its world premiere at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, during the Directors' Fortnight section, on 19 May 2024.[11] Prior to, sales company Protagonist Pictures boarded the film's worldwide sales.[12] In July 2024, Altitude Film Distribution secured the film's distribution rights in the United Kingdom.[13] In October 2024, Magnet Releasing acquired the U.S. distribution rights to the film.[14] The film was released theatrically in India on 30 May 2025.[15]
Reception[edit | edit source]
Template:Rotten Tomatoes prose[16] Template:Metacritic film prose[17] The film has been noted for its unique narrative and striking visual style, marking a significant contribution to Hindi-language independent cinema.
Accolades[edit | edit source]
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cannes Film Festival | 25 May 2024 | Caméra d'Or | Karan Kandhari | Nominated | [18] |
| Fantastic Fest | 24 September 2024 | Next Wave – Best Feature | Won | [19] | |
| Hawaii International Film Festival | 12 October 2024 | NETPAC Award | Won | [20] | |
| Zurich Film Festival | 13 October 2024 | Golden Eye Award | Nominated | [21] | |
| British Independent Film Awards | 8 December 2024 | Best Lead Performance | Radhika Apte | Nominated | [22] |
| Best Music Supervision | Kle Savidge | Nominated | |||
| Douglas Hickox Award (Best Debut Director) | Karan Kandhari | Nominated | |||
| Best Debut Screenwriter | Nominated | ||||
| British Academy Film Awards | 16 February 2025 | Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer | Nominated | [23] |
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Template:Cite Box Office Mojo
- ↑ Template:Cite The Numbers
- ↑ "BAFTA Awards 2025: Sandhya Suri's Santosh, Karan Kandhari's Sister Midnight nominated alongside Dev Patel's Monkey Man". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
- ↑ "Films by Indian-origin filmmakers earn top nods at BAFTA Awards 2025". Asia News Network. Retrieved 17 January 2025.
- ↑ "Radhika Apte embraces risk with Sister Midnight, hopes film releases uncut in India". India Today. 30 May 2025. Retrieved 2 June 2025.
- ↑ Ide, Wendy (16 March 2025). "Sister Midnight review – deliciously macabre Mumbai marriage-gone-wrong black comedy". the Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 21 March 2025.
- ↑ Bradshaw, Peter (12 March 2025). "Sister Midnight review – Mumbai-set comic horror finds the terror in arranged marriage". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 21 March 2025.
- ↑ Tabbara, Mona (28 December 2022). "The BFI's 10 biggest production awards of 2022". Screen Daily. Archived from the original on 26 May 2024. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
- ↑ "Sverre Sørdal, FNF, talks about the shooting of "Sister Midnight", by Karan Kandhari". French Society of Cinematographers. 22 May 2024. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
- ↑ "Sister Midnight: A Contemporary Indian Fable Shot on Kodak 16mm". Kodak. 11 June 2024. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
- ↑ Roxborough, Scott (16 April 2024). "Cannes Directors' Fortnight Lineup Unveiled". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 16 July 2024. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
- ↑ Tabbara, Mona (22 April 2024). "Protagonist Pictures boards Cannes Directors' Fortnight title 'Sister Midnight'; unveils first look (exclusive)". Screen Daily. Archived from the original on 11 December 2024. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
- ↑ Tabbara, Mona (18 July 2024). "UK's Altitude adds 'Emmanuelle', 'Sister Midnight', 'I'm Still Here' to ramped-up distribution slate (exclusive)". Screen Daily. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
- ↑ Grobar, Matt (24 October 2024). "Magnet Releasing Takes U.S. Rights To Karan Kandhari's Cannes Directors' Fortnight Selection 'Sister Midnight'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
- ↑ "Radhika Apte embraces risk with Sister Midnight, hopes film releases uncut in India". India Today. 30 May 2025. Retrieved 2 June 2025.
- ↑ "Sister Midnight". Rotten Tomatoes.
- ↑ "Sister Midnight". Metacritic. Retrieved 24 September 2025.
- ↑ "The 2024 Caméra d'or: who are the contenders?". Cinéma de Demain. 8 May 2024. Archived from the original on 7 October 2024. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
- ↑ Taylor, Drew (24 September 2024). "Barry Keoghan's 'Bring Them Down' Wins Best Picture, Main Competition at Fantastic Fest | Exclusive". TheWrap. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
- ↑ Valcourt, Katrina (17 October 2024). "Local Filmmakers Win Big as HIFF44's Awards Are Announced". Honolulu. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
- ↑ Garner, Glenn (12 October 2024). "Zurich Film Festival 2024 Winners — Full List". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
- ↑ Dalton, Ben (5 November 2024). "'Kneecap', 'Love Lies Bleeding', 'The Outrun' lead Bifa 2024 nominations". Screen Daily. Archived from the original on 4 December 2024. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
- ↑ Fernandes, Shefali (15 January 2025). "BAFTA 2025: All We Imagine As Light Nominated For Best Foreign Film; Indian Films Monkey Man, Santosh, Sister Midnight Lead Nominations". Free Press Journal. Retrieved 15 January 2025.