April 25, 2026 at 3:30:00 PM
AFS Cinema
Texas Premiere
Blessings (Maaybaapache Aashirwaad)
India | Short
2025 | 20 mins | Marathi
Recorded Q&A with writer-director Apurva Bardapurkar
Shown as part of the Saturday shorts program
Tasveer Film Festival
IFFSA Toronto - Winner Critics' Choice Awards 2026
Bengaluru International Short Film Festival
Suryakant and Sangeeta, like any other parents, care only for their son - Dharma’s happiness. When Dharma accidentally kills his cousin, they go all the way to keep it hidden from the world. Even if keeping the secret means getting blood on their hands, they don’t stop. They justify to themselves, “Whatever we do, we do it for our son”. Seventeen years later when Dharma visits home for a day with his girlfriend, Suryakant and Sangeeta are exhilarated. But they soon understand that she knows about Dharma's cousin's death and to top that, she is an aspiring cop. Their anxiety skyrockets. They panic and start planning to kill their future daughter-in-law. But they go about in a shaky, non-killer comedic manner. Hoping that their son agrees with their justification, “Whatever we have done, we have done it for our son”.

Restoration Process
About the Artist

An independent filmmaker from the historical small town of Aurangabad in India, Apurva’s love for storytelling began in childhood, inspired by legends and folktales. In college, she went on to direct and lead an all-girls team to win prestigious theatre competitions. After graduating from Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute, Apurva worked with ‘Paani Foundation’- an organization run for farmers, during which she got an opportunity to interact with people on ground. Apurva’s directorial debut MAAYBAAPACHE AASHIRWAAD (BLESSINGS) was an official selection at prestigious festivals like Tasveer, IFFSA Toronto, CSAFF, iSAFF and the likes. MAAYBAAPACHE AASHIRWAAD (BLESSINGS) was also selected at the Cinvesture Film Market to be developed into feature and Apurva is currently working on it as her debut feature.

Trailer
For English subtitles, make sure to turn on the YouTube closed captions.
Credits
Director:
Apurva Bardapurkar
Writer:
Apurva Bardapurkar
Producer(s):
Sumit Kanjilal
Film Editor:
Smita Tambe, Suhas Shirsat
Pratiksha Khasnis
Swapnil Kanase
Thank you to our community partners for this screening!
This program was made possible in part with a grant from Humanities Texas, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

