Ram Kamal Mukherjee Wins Best Director at the 11th International Indian Film Festival of Toronto for ‘Lokkhikantopur Local’

National Award-winning filmmaker Ram Kamal Mukherjee has added another prestigious feather to his cinematic cap by winning the Best Director Award at the 11th International Indian Film Festival of Toronto (IIFFT) for his Bengali feature, ‘Lokkhikantopur Local’.

The director shares this coveted honor alongside acclaimed Bollywood filmmaker Kabir Khan, who was awarded Best Director for his biographical sports drama Chandu Champion, starring Kartik Aaryan. This victory marks another major global milestone for Mukherjee, who previously secured his first National Film Award in 2023 for the Hindi short film Ek Duaa.

An Emotional International Triumph

Expressing his delight over the international honor for a mother-tongue narrative, Ram Kamal Mukherjee shared:

"Every award is special, but international recognition for a story told in my mother tongue makes it even more emotional. Lokkhikantopur Local is very close to my heart. It celebrates the people, places, and stories that often remain unnoticed but are deeply woven into the fabric of our lives. To have this film recognised on an international platform is truly overwhelming. Sharing this honour with a filmmaker of Kabir Khan's stature makes the moment even more special."

Recalling his past association with Kabir Khan, Mukherjee added:

"I remember interviewing Kabir when I was working with Stardust. He is a brilliant storyteller. I dedicate this award to my producer Sangita Sinha and my entire directorial team who had faith in my vision, and the jury members at IIFFT for evaluating this film in the same light as a mega-star Kartik Aaryan film like Chandu Champion; this gives me hope that good content will always find its own audience."

Stellar Ensemble and Producer's Pride

Produced by Sangita Sinha under the banner of Angel Creations, the film features an impressive powerhouse star cast including Bengal’s iconic superstar Rituparna Sengupta, Paoli Dam, Kaushik Ganguly, Indraneil Sengupta, Chandrayee Ghosh, Sayani Ghosh, John Bhattacharya, Rajnandini Paul, and Debashish Mondal.

Celebrating the victory, producer and actor Sangita Sinha stated:

"I am extremely proud of my director Ram Kamal dada for winning this prestigious award in Toronto. The competition was tough, as regional cinema comes with a lot of financial restrictions, but still, on the basis of pure content and performance, the film won hearts."

Lauding the director’s creative prowess, superstar Rituparna Sengupta added:

"I am delighted to know that Ram Kamal won the Best Director Award at IIFFT, and he is definitely deserving. His craft has been well appreciated by national and international cine-connoisseurs since his debut film, Cakewalk. This was my first association with Ram Kamal, and the way he weaved in the character of Labanya with Utpal (Kaushik Ganguly) and Kalyani (Paoli Dam) in the multilayered plot shows his credentials as a filmmaker."

Before its international festival success, Lokkhikantopur Local also earned critical acclaim on home turf, securing the Best Supporting Actress award for Chandrayee Ghosh at the West Bengal Film Journalists' Association (WBFJA) Awards 2026.