From Kashmir to Seoul to the World, a Visionary Filmmaker Steps Into International Spotlight.There is a certain quiet intensity to Rahhat Shah Kazmi—a filmmaker whose work feels less like cinema and more like a deeply lived experience. His stories are intimate yet universal, shaped by the delicate contradictions of human nature. In a world obsessed with speed, Rahhat creates films that pause, breathe, and look directly into the soul.
Today, he stands at the forefront of a new wave of global South Asian storytellers whose work is travelling far beyond borders. And his newest film, Love in Vietnam, is proof of just how far his vision now reaches.
Born in the mountains of Jammu & Kashmir and shaped by the cultural mosaic of India, Rahhat has long been known to cinephiles for his bold, path-breaking works such as Lihaaf—co-produced by Oscar-winner Marc Baschet—and Country of Blind, whose screenplay entered the Oscars Library’s permanent Core Collection, marking him among a rare circle of international filmmakers recognised for cultural and academic impact.
But 2025 has become a defining year—the moment when the world begins to recognise him not only as a filmmaker, but as a global creative force.
A Global Love Story: “Love in Vietnam” Goes International
Rahhat’s most recent film, Love in Vietnam, has quickly evolved from a cross-border romance into a cultural phenomenon. After making headlines in Variety for securing a major distribution deal in China, the film is now releasing across South Korea, where its themes of connection, migration, and emotional resilience have struck a deep chord.
Its reception has been extraordinary:
Love in Vietnam has been shortlisted for two major honours at the Seoul International Drama Awards (SDA), one of the world’s most prestigious international festivals for television and OTT cinema.
For an Indian independent filmmaker, this recognition is historic. For Rahhat, it is simply the beginning.
A Filmmaker With a Universal Language
Rahhat’s cinematic world is filled with contrasts—softness and struggle, love and repression, silence and revelation. His style is unmistakable:
Poetic realism
Minimalist emotional tension
Deep empathy for the unseen and unheard
A visual language rooted in authenticity rather than spectacle
His characters often move between cultures, identities, and inner conflicts. Perhaps this is why audiences from London to Seoul to Athens respond to his stories—they speak a universal emotional truth.
The Rise of a Global Auteur
Rahhat Shah Kazmi is part of a rare generation of filmmakers whose work is not limited by geography. His films have won over 50 international awards, his scripts are studied in Paris and Los Angeles, and his voice carries a sincerity increasingly rare in the film world.
To Vogue Athens, he represents something more:
a bridge between cultures, a contemporary South Asian storyteller who speaks to a global audience without losing the soul of where he comes from.
His cinema is deeply rooted in identity, yet expansive in its worldview—much like modern Greece itself, where old and new, tradition and future coexist with effortless grace.
A Moment of Arrival—and a Beginning
With Love in Vietnam rising across Asia, an expanding global fanbase, and major industry recognition from the Seoul International Movie Awards, Rahhat stands in a defining moment of his career.
But when asked what success means to him, he answers simply:
“A good story travels. A true story transforms.”
As his films continue to find new audiences across continents, one thing becomes clear:
Rahhat Shah Kazmi is not just representing Indian cinema—he is reshaping the global narrative of what Indian cinema can be.