Vinod Kapri's 'Pyre' to Hit Theatres Across India on October 23, 2026

National Award-winning filmmaker Vinod Kapri's latest feature, Pyre, is set for a theatrical release across India on 23 October 2026. The film, produced by Vinod Kapri, Suresh Joshi and Arindra Rai Chaudhuri under the banners Bhagirathi Films and Mashakbeen Studios, will be distributed in cinemas by Cinépolis, which has previously handled releases such as Hanuman Ansh.

Set in a remote village in the Kumaon Himalayas, Pyre follows an ageing couple whose lives are anchored in their home, their shared memories and each other, as they wait quietly for children who have moved away in search of better opportunities. The narrative turns on the emotional distance that migration creates between parents and their offspring, framed against the grandeur of the Himalayan landscape. The film was shot entirely in the mountains of Uttarakhand.

What sets the project apart is its casting. The lead roles are played by debutants Padam Singh Kapri, 80, and Heera Devi, 70, both from Uttarakhand and neither of whom had faced a camera before. Padam Singh, a retired Army man, plays a character of the same name, while Heera Devi, a widow, homemaker and former dancer, portrays Tulsi. Their real-life experiences and natural rapport are central to the film's intimacy, according to the makers.

Director Vinod Kapri said the story demanded performers who had lived such a life themselves. He described the discovery of the two leads as extraordinary, adding that their relationship, silences and emotions brought a truth to the screen that conventional actors could not have recreated. In his words, Pyre is ultimately a film about love — between two people who have spent their lives together, and between parents and their children.

The film's music brings together composer Mychael Danna, known for Little Miss Sunshine, Monsoon Wedding, Life of Pi and Moneyball, with lyrics by poet and lyricist Gulzar.

Pyre began its international journey with a world premiere at the 28th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, where it won the PÖFF Best Film Audience Award. It has since screened at a string of festivals, including the 49th São Paulo International Film Festival, the 44th Cambridge Film Festival, the 35th Bath Film Festival, the 43rd Fajr International Film Festival and the 30th International Film Festival of Kerala.

The film has collected 18 international awards, among them 15 Best Film honours, with top prizes in Washington, D.C., Chicago, Canada, Spain, Boston, Stuttgart, London and Birmingham. It has also earned Best Director awards in Serbia and Boston, alongside major recognitions for music, cinematography and sound.