Richie Mehta's 'Phoolan' gets standing ovation at TIFF 2026
What's the story
Richie Mehta's Amazon Original Movie Phoolan received a standing ovation from over 2,000 people at its World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). The Hindi action-drama was screened in the Special Presentation section and left audiences deeply moved. The film stars Sneha Kumari as Phoolan Devi, with Anurag Thakur, Vikram Pratap Singh, Aakash Dahiya, Prateek Pachouri, and Dev Dutt Budholiya in key roles.
Film details
Mehta was drawn to very specific chapter of Phoolan's life
Phoolan is an action drama that chronicles the extraordinary and tumultuous moment in the life of Phoolan Devi during a 48-hour siege.
The film is based on Phoolan Devi's autobiography, I, Phoolan Devi: The Autobiography of India's Bandit Queen.
Speaking about the premiere, Mehta said he was "drawn to a very specific chapter of Phoolan's life," focusing on her formative years before she became a legend.
Director's statement
'Essential to strip away the mythology and reveal the human'
Mehta said, "It felt essential to me to strip away the mythology and reveal the human underneath. The themes at the heart of her story, resilience in the face of adversity, the search for dignity, and the courage to claim one's own voice, are timeless."
"That is why this felt like the right moment to bring her story to the screen. From Poacher to Phoolan, Amazon MGM Studios has been a true creative collaborator."
Red carpet
Kumari leads the red carpet along with creative team
The World Premiere was attended by the film's cast and creative team. Leading the arrivals was Kumari, who reportedly delivers a breakthrough performance in the titular role.
They were joined on the red carpet by writer-director-producer Mehta and producers Shareen Mantri Kedia, Kanwal Kohli, and Kishor Arora of Namah Pictures.
Shilangi Mukherji, Director & Head of SVOD Business at Prime Video India, also represented Amazon MGM Studios at TIFF.
The film will soon premiere on Prime Video worldwide.