By Kashvi Raj Singh,News18

Copyright news18

Spoiler alert begins as Rohan Kanawade talks about Sabar Bonda (Cactus Pears), ahead of its release in India. The romantic drama film recently became the only Indian film and the first Marathi language film ever to premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. Additionally, it went on to win the Grand Jury Prize in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition at the festival.
In a recent interview, Rohan Kanawade discussed the film’s journey and its details. The Marathi film’s Indian distribution rights have been secured by Rana Daggubati’s Spirit Media. When asked what he is looking forward to, Rohan told Hindustan Times, “I am just looking forward to the release of the film! I told my family that I will buy the tickets and go to one of the screenings together. So yeah, I am just curious and really happy and looking forward to the release of the film.”

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Rohan Kanawade Talks About The Soundscape Of Sabar Bonda
A key feature of the film is how the absence of background music enhances the intrigue of the plot. In one of the beautiful scenes of Sabar Banda, the tinkling sounds of the tiny bells attached to the cattle’s neck marked the conversation between the two pivotal characters about their lives in the village and the passage of time.
Talking about the defining aspect of his filmmaking style, he shared, “I had to make that decision before writing that screenplay because I had to incorporate the details, the use of natural sound… into the screenplay.”
He continued, “Dolby Atmos was the technology that allows you to create the 360-degree voice now, and I wanted to have that. Because when I was at the village, I could hear everything around me. When Anand (leading character) is present there, there is life happening all around him, and I wanted to incorporate that into the frame- so that I can ground not only him but also the audience into his world.”

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Rohan Kanawade On His Film’s Not-So-Tragic Ending
Sabar Bonda concludes on a hopeful note, rather than a tragic one. “I had already decided that when I am trying to decide a story about grief, I did not want to make a sad film. I wanted to make a tender, warm film about this whole phase. I was clear that it should be optimistic, but also not completely happy! The moment arrived along with the writing, but yes, I had the clarity that this cannot end tragically. Though some of the mentors at the lab were telling me otherwise, I said ‘No, sorry, that is not happening in my film!’ (smiles),” he concluded.
Sabar Bonda’s Plot
The film is set in a Maharashtrian village and centres around the life of Anand (Bhushaan Manoj), a man from the city who returns to his ancestral village to mourn the loss of his father. There, he reconnects with his school friend Balya (played by Suraaj Suman), and romance develops between them.
Sabar Bonda will hit the theatres on September 19.