Rahhat Shah Kazmi’s Love in Vietnam, India’s first Vietnam collaboration, faced a limited release at home but found acclaim abroad. The film moved audiences in South Korea, inspiring a song by Seaya, and won Best Asian Film and Best Director at the Seoul Global Movie Awards 2025
Shantanu Maheshwari and Kha Ngân in ‘Love in Vietnam’
On his trip to Vietnam for a film festival in collaboration with the Indian government, writer and director Rahhat Shah Kazmi fell in love with the country; an idea to base his next film there slowly took root. It was festival organiser Captain Rahul Bali — now one of his co-producers — who lent him support. Love in Vietnam, starring Shantanu Maheshwari, Avneet Kaur, Kha Ngân, and Farida Jalal, among others, eventually came through after considerable effort.
However, the film, which released in India in September, did not get enough room to spread its wings. “This is the first ever India-Vietnam collaboration,” he beams. “But the Indian release clashed with 40 other films — including Demon Slayer and Mirai — floods, and limited screens. We did not get shows in our own country. Everyone was disheartened. All our efforts felt like they were in vain.” The tide turned when South Korea embraced the film. Singer Seaya released a song inspired by the film after watching it, and the filmmaker was recently honoured with Best Asian Film and Best Director of Asia gong for Love in Vietnam at the Seoul Global Movie Awards 2025. “We wondered if the people would like the movie or if they will get up and leave mid-way because they couldn’t connect with the story and the songs in the film. But, people cried during the première. They were all so emotional. They started posting on their social media. It was a dreamlike experience. Now the film is opening in Korean theatres in the first week of January,” he smiles.
Rahhat Shah Kazmi
Kazmi remains hopeful about an Indian re-release someday. He says that talks with OTT platforms are ongoing and that a date will soon be locked. “Our desire to show the film to our people is not fulfilled. People haven’t seen it. So, we’ll try again. Around February, we are hoping to get a licence for China. We will lock the OTT plan after it releases in China.”
January 9
‘Love in Vietnam’ releases in Vietnam theatres
Shantanu Maheshwari on ‘Love in Vietnam’
Being a part of ‘Love in Vietnam’ has been a special experience. Working in a new culture with language differences automatically makes you more aware and present as an actor. You discover your own language to communicate with people. While the audience may be new, I realised that emotions don’t
really change. Stories about love, conflict, and hope connect the same way, and that’s the beauty of storytelling. This film reminded me that a good love story can travel beyond languages and boundaries.
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