The New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF), North America’s longest-running festival dedicated to Indian independent cinema, has announced the full lineup and official nominations for its 2026 edition, spotlighting a diverse slate of films across 15 languages and underscoring the growing dominance of regional storytelling in contemporary Indian cinema.

The festival will kick off with a Gala Preview Night on May 28 featuring a 4K restored presentation of Sholay, the 51-years old landmark Bollywood classic. A defining work in Indian cinematic history, this special presentation celebrates the film’s enduring influence with a newly restored print which includes the original ending of the film, setting a grand, nostalgic, and cinematic tone for the festival.

Opening night on May 29 will spotlight Boong, the Manipuri-language feature that recently won a BAFTA award, underscoring the growing global visibility of regional Indian cinema. Director Laksmipriya Devi will attend the premiere and participate in a post-screening discussion.

The festival’s Centerpiece selection – a World Premiere, Flowers of Acacia, is directed by Anmol Sidhu (Jaggi) and presented by Shonali Bose. The film will screen on May 30 and it represents the next wave of globally relevant Indian independent cinema. The powerful sophomore Punjabi-language film by the Chandigarh-based filmmaker exposes the entrenched patriarchy in parts of India.

Also in the lineup is a 25th anniversary screening of Dil Chahta Hai, Directed by Farhan Akhtar, the film is widely credited with redefining contemporary urban Hindi cinema.

The festival will close May 31 with the New York premiere of the critically acclaimed Marathi-language film Tighee (Motherhood), starring Nehha Pendse and Sonalee Kulkarni, both of whom are expected to attend.

“Closing the festival with Tighee is incredibly special,” added Suman Gollamudi, IAAC Executive Director. “It is a film of rare emotional intelligence – intimate, powerful, and deeply human – leaving audiences with a sense of reflection and connection.”

The evening culminates in the NYIFF Awards Ceremony, honoring outstanding achievements across this year’s festival slate.