Sabar Bonda

In less assured hands, Cactus Pears might have edged into trite territory, yielding to the familiar beats of trauma-laden queer love stories, but Kanawade's considered direction and spare storytelling keep the narrative refreshing. The beauty of Cactus Pears depends on these details, seemingly minor moments that build a compassionate love story.

Rohan Kanawade’s pitch-perfect Sundance winner humanises the constraints of queer love.

First-time filmmaker Rohan Parashuram Kanawade's story about two unmarried Indian men is a poetic offering.

Sabar Bonda marks a turning point for Marathi cinema, stretching the language of the industry beyond its usual social dramas and making space for tender, queer love and interiority without resorting to either tragedy or tokenism. Kanawade's debut is a poignant, soul-stirring portrait of gentle men who defy manhood as defined by Indian society, and it more than earns its place as the first Marathi film to win big at Sundance.

These moments are exhilarating, though by their very nature, they’re few and far between. Before long, the question of what comes next — and whether Anand and Balya have a future — rears its ugly head.