India, June 5 -- T he 17th edition of the LGBTQ+ film festival, KASHISH Pride Film Festival, got underway at Mumbai's Liberty Cinema on Tuesday with a gathering of actors, filmmakers and artistes. The opening ceremony was attended by several prominent names from the film industry, including actor-filmmaker Konkona Sensharma, actors Parvathy Thiruvothu, Rajshri Deshpande, Lilette Dubey and filmmaker Nikkhil Advani, among others. One of the highlights was the presentation of the Rainbow Champion Award to the Aravani Art Project, a transgender-led collective whose murals and public art interventions have become symbols of inclusion across Indian cities. Actor Konkona Sensharma received the Rainbow Voices Award for her nuanced portrayals of queer characters in films and streaming projects such as Monsoon Date (2018), Geeli Puchi (2021) and Accused. Accepting the recognition, she said, "The path to pride is not always easy. Sometimes it's routed through shame, guilt, identity and all kinds of things." Adding to the festive atmosphere were performances by Kathak artiste Avenev and team, followed by a Lavani presentation by actor-dancer Aditi Bhagwat and her troupe. Running until June 7, KASHISH 2026 will be held across Liberty Cinema, Alliance Francaise de Bombay and the National Gallery of Modern Art. The festival programme features 153 films from 43 countries, along with panel discussions, workshops and masterclasses that bring together filmmakers, activists and audiences to engage with stories from across the LGBTQ+ spectrum....