Indian short film ‘Ghuspaithiya Kaun’ reaches LA Independent Short Awards finals

The short film ‘Ghuspaithiya Kaun’ (Who is the Intruder), which powerfully addresses the pressing issue of human-animal conflict, has achieved a major international milestone by reaching the final round of the Los Angeles Independent Short Awards. It is the only Indian entry to make it to the final list among submissions from 25 countries.

At the Lucknow Short Film Festival held on Sunday evening, the film was honoured with the Best Script (Critics’ Choice Award), presented by acclaimed actors Huma Qureshi and Sunny Singh. Produced by Sameer and Nehi Agarwal, written by Sudhir Mishra, and directed by Dheeraj Bhatnagar, the film has garnered widespread acclaim for its compelling storytelling.

Advertisement

Inspired by a real-life incident in Ghaziabad, where a leopard entered a courtroom causing panic, ‘Ghuspaithiya Kaun’ explores the escalating human-animal conflict in modern India. A central character, a leopard capable of speaking human language, is brought to life through animation by renowned expert Rajeev Dwivedi, famed for colorizing classics like Mughal-e-Azam.

Each month, selected entries from around the world are shortlisted for the Independent Short Film Awards, with the final winners announced at the annual grand finale.
Writer Sudhir Mishra emphasized that rampant deforestation and shrinking buffer zones in the name of development are worsening the conflict between humans and animals. “Both humans and animals are suffering, and the larger threat is to the entire ecosystem,” he said. The film poses a provocative question: Who is the real intruder—the animal or humankind itself?

The film premiered on August 10, attended by Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak and Social Welfare Minister Aseem Arun, who praised it for highlighting an urgent ecological issue.

Veteran theater and film personalities Suryamohan Kulshreshtha, Anil Rastogi, and Atul Tiwari lauded the film, describing it as a poignant portrayal not only of the leopard’s plight but also of all those marginalized and displaced by human greed.

The film also features performances by Lucknow-based theatre artists Mridula Bharadwaj, Gunjan Jain, and historian Dr. Ravi Bhatt.

During the Lucknow Short Film Festival awards ceremony at Sangeet Natak Akademi, the film was screened to an appreciative audience. Festival organizers Renuka Tandon, Vandana Agarwal, and actor Gaurav Dwivedi hailed ‘Ghuspaithiya Kaun’ as a purpose-driven film that seamlessly blends art with social awareness.