Telugu short film 'O'sey Balamma' makes it to Sundance 2026

Entertainment Dec 28, 2025

Big news for Indian cinema fans: O'sey Balamma, a Telugu short film by Nimmala Raman, is heading to the Sundance Film Festival 2026.
The story draws from Raman's childhood summers spent with his grandmother and her helper Balamma, exploring themes of friendship and family roles in a warm, relatable way.

From finance to filmmaking—and back to his roots

Raman grew up in Hyderabad before moving to the US at eight. He started out in finance but later switched gears, studying filmmaking at Columbia University as a way to stay connected to his culture.
After this Sundance success, he's already working on a new feature—a dark comedy about volunteer tourism in India.