Sagar Sir
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Deb is a young boy who moves to Goa and cannot speak Konkani - the local language. When he is punished for failing his Konkani test, he overhears his parents contemplating sending him away to boarding school.
He finds the number of a local tutor, Sagar Sir, only to discover that he is a white man. With his help, Deb picks up Konkani and befriends another newcomer, Prayag. Deb's relationship with Sagar Sir grows, and he learns that home isn't necessarily where you're born - it's where you find belonging; and that language is merely one way of communicating.
But when some bullies in class make fun of Deb for mispronouncing a word, Deb lashes out and is sent to the principal's office. Sagar Sir comes to defend Deb, but the principal insists on a one - page note in Konkani from Deb, defending his desire to stay in the school. When he writes the letter, Deb doesn't plead to stay - instead, he asks to be moved to Prayag's section.
For the first time, he's found where he belongs.
In Goa, an outsider is someone "not from the state". Over the past few years, I've seen so many people - people like me - trying to make this place our home. And yet every day, there are small reminders that we don't entirely belong.
I grew up moving from city to city, always the new kid in class - my name, my accent, the food in my tiffin box... all marked me as different.
When I moved to Goa four years ago, I felt that ache return... and with it, the question - where do I really belong?
When I read a short story titled "Sagar Sir," written by my dear friend Debjit Banerjee, based on a similar theme, I knew we had to make this film happen.
Through Sagar Sir, I want to explore this human desire for belonging through the eyes of Deb. This film is my way of asking - who is an outsider, really? And what if home is not where we come from, but where we find belonging?
Recently named as one of India's Next Top 10 Directors by Manifest Media, Isha Ashta is a filmmaker and writer whose work explores identity and belonging. Raised across India in a multilingual, multicultural family, she was shaped by an interplay of voices and perspectives that inform her storytelling.
Her latest docuseries for NBA India traces the journeys of Indian basketball players through themes of community and transformation. Her debut feature screenplay Bones, which centers a female coming-of-age narrative, has been supported by the Writer's Ink Lab and Cine Qua Non Lab.
In addition to her documentary work, Isha has directed 30+ commercials across fashion and narrative - for brands like Unilever, CaratLane, Allen Solly, and Hershey's. Her work is marked by a curiosity about people, their stories, their histories, and the ways they connect to the world around them.
IMDB: imdb.com/name/nm7774737
Website: ishaashta.com
Ratan Ginwalla has been a trailblazer in digital marketing for Indian films, playing a pivotal role in shaping the way movies are promoted in the digital age.
Over the years, he has transitioned from marketing blockbuster films to managing a dynamic roster of talented artists across various creative disciplines. His career has also seen him step into the world of film production, raising funds and collaborating on several independent Hollywood projects.
Ratan joins the project as the Financing Producer, overseeing fundraising and investor relations. With a deep understanding of storytelling and audience engagement, he excels at taking ideas from concept to execution, making creative vision a tangible reality.
Ashutosh is a brand marketing and communications veteran with over 22 years of experience at Edelman - the world's largest communications firm across India, London, and New York.
He specializes in creative marketing that earns trust and attention for brands, while strategically aligning them with the cultural zeitgeist to drive real impact. He has led award-winning work for Unilever, Harley-Davidson, PepsiCo, Audible, Mondelez, TATA, and other blue-chip companies.
He has been a panelist at the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity and a juror at the APAC Effie Awards and multiple PR/Marketing awards. He was selected by The Holmes Report for its 2016 Innovator 25 in Asia-Pacific, and by Reputation Today for the 40 Under 40 list of communications professionals in India.
Ashutosh joins the project as Producer, leading outreach, marketing, and community engagement initiatives.
Nitin Sukh is an investment banker for nature and founder of Khazan Films, an emerging film production company and collective based in Goa.
Drawing on a career in global finance, climate action and human rights, he is obsessed with how land, memory and power shape ordinary lives. His work bridges rigorous, systems-level thinking with intimate and character-led storytelling that echoes across borders and cultures.
With Khazan Films' slate of shorts, features and miniseries, he collaborates closely with writers, directors and communities to co-create independent cinema that is politically awake, emotionally resonant and visually immersive. Nitin joins the project as environment impact producer.
Tushaar Mehra - DoP
Ayesha Khanna - Costume Designer
Tiya Tejpal - Production Designer
Chandrashekhar Parab - Editor
Zahaan Khan - Film Score Composer
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