US, Oct. 20 -- Director Shobhita Thakur's acclaimed short film, 'Khilawadi' (The One Who Plays), has secured an official selection in the Short Fusion Competition Programme at the 45th Cambridge Film Festival (CFF). The selection places 'Khilawadi' among international entries competing in the Short Fusion Programme, recognising its storytelling and artistic vision.

The Hindi film follows Sapna, a 12-year-old girl from the Banchhada community in Madhya Pradesh. It explores her dream of becoming a doctor and her struggle to break free from systemic poverty, patriarchy, and the community's traditional caste-based, ritualized hereditary practices.

In its official invitation, the Cambridge Film Festival programming committee wrote, "We are ...