Cannes 2026: Manisha Makwana on screening of debut film Gudgudi, Raj & DK
Manisha Makwana's debut short Gudgudi will screen at Cannes 2026 in the Marche du Film segment. The screening marks a major step for the first-time director, who says Raj and DK and Suman Kumar shaped the film.
For filmmaker Manisha Makwana, the road to the Cannes Film Festival is lined equally with excitement and anxiety. Her short film Gudgudi, featuring Ahsaas Channa, is set to screen at the prestigious festival this year in the March du Film (film market) segment. This marks a major milestone for the first-time director, who has previously worked closely with creators Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK on several projects, including The Family Man.
The 79th Cannes Film Festival is scheduled from May 12 to May 23, 2026.
Speaking to India Today ahead of the screening, Makwana admitted the experience still feels surreal.
“I’m very excited and very nervous at the same time. I think both emotions go hand in hand for me,” she said. “The fact that my first film is going to be played there itself is a huge thing. There are butterflies in the stomach about how the film will be internationally accepted.”
Makwana, who has been associated with the creative ecosystem of Raj & DK for years, called Gudgudi an “ode” to everything she learnt under their mentorship, alongside writer-director Suman Kumar.
“They’ve taught me so much, from being in a writers’ room to simply making it a habit to sit in front of the laptop and write, even if it means writing one word,” she shared. “The idea is to keep writing. Only then do you get to the finesse you want to achieve.”
According to her, those learnings shaped every aspect of Gudgudi, from writing to editing and visual style. “Choosing the way to edit, choosing the way to shoot, putting up a camera, I’ve learnt it all from them,” she said.
The response so far, she said, has been encouraging. Makwana revealed that industry names including Raj & DK, Aparna Purohit and Rajeev Masand have already watched the film and responded positively. “They said it’s a unique voice,” she said. “It’s still hard to believe when such big people say these things, but it fills me with gratitude.”
Apart from Gudgudi, Makwana is also excited about two short films she has co-produced that are headed to Cannes: The Pissing Tale, set in Kashmir, and Dhanki Devi, about a 57-year-old aspiring content creator.
As for Gudgudi, Makwana hopes the film eventually reaches a wider audience through streaming platforms. “I hope I find a home for Gudgudi on a platform like Jio Hotstar or Amazon,” she said. “I want it to be accessible for the world to see.”