The talented and veteran actor Amit Behl is on cloud nine as his upcoming film, September 21, will be screened at the Marché du Film at the 79th Cannes Film Festival 2026. In an exclusive interview with Bollywood Hungama, Amit opened up on how he bagged the role, working with a 21-year-old director, the Cannes selection and much more.
Amit Behl began by saying, “Kshiti (director Karen Kshiti Suvarna) approached me and I told her that I’d like to hear the story. However, I was travelling – I was in Delhi while she was in Bengaluru. So, over a virtual call, she narrated the complete story to me in two hours. I was floored by her passion. An Alzheimer’s patient is not aware of what he or she is going through. At times, there are hired caretakers who see it simply as a job. There’s a possibility that they could be nasty or rude to the patient. Meanwhile, the people around the patient, especially the ones taking care of them, go through a lot. It requires a lot of patience and perseverance. The film touched upon these aspects and that’s what attracted me to it.”
Amit Behl revealed, “I had never met Kshiti physically. I reached Bengaluru one day before the shoot. The costume trials were done. I reached 30 minutes before the call time and that’s when we met. She was very clear about shot division, what she wants from each scene, how the edit is going to look like etc. She was quite sorted and well planned. She and her entire team were in sync. For me, it was a great thing because films like these are not made on big budgets. Moreover, the job was slightly easier for me because my co-actor Pravin Singh Sisodia and I go back a very long way. We worked together in a daily soap called ‘Shanti’ for nearly two years. So, we had that chemistry from day 1 and it worked in our favour. The same applied to my equation with Ajit Shidhaye and Priyanka Upendra as well. Hence, the shoot went on very smoothly.”
As for the Cannes honour, Amit Behl said, “It’s great that the film will be premiered at Cannes. At the same time, the fact that Kshiti has been invited to talk at the Woman Agenda panel is a big honour for the country. She represents the non-diverted Gen Z – the ones who are focused and down to earth. It’s remarkable that she has made a film like this. I am sure the international audience will appreciate it, as Alzheimer’s is more rampant in European and American countries. They often drop their parents at old age homes or foster care and hence, September 21 is sure to touch those viewers in a sensitive manner.”
He added, “It’s great that Kshiti will be present at Cannes. Unfortunately, Pravin and I couldn’t go as we are busy shooting. However, he revealed, “I went to the Cannes Film Festival a long time ago. In fact, I have been there twice.”
Amit Behl is also happy that September 21 will get a pan-India release on May 22, “People appreciate meaningful films like Court, Fandry etc. They are ready to go to the cinemas and see such humane content. Also, September 21 is not a depressing film. There are some light moments as well. Kailash Kher’s track is a highlight. Overall, it sensitizes people in an entertaining manner.”
The post EXCLUSIVE: Amit Behl talks about September 21’s Cannes honour; clarifies, “It is NOT a depressing film; sensitizes people in an entertaining manner”; praises director Karen Kshiti Suvarna: “She represents the non-diverted Gen Z” appeared first on Bollywood Hungama.
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