Cinema VinesAastha Tiku’s first feature, the 24‑minute fantasy‑comedy “Dreamboat,” is slated to open the Dharamshala International Film Festival (DIFF) from October 29 to November 1, 2026. The short follows an underground musician who, while navigating Mumbai, finds her relationship with a beloved pillow—her muse—disrupted by her mother, setting her on a surreal quest for love and connection in a city that feels increasingly alien.
The film stars Sofia Ashraf in her acting debut, alongside comedian and digital creator Supriya Joshi, actor Tenzin Dalha, Prayrak Mehta, Moses Koul and Gurpal Singh. Ashraf, known for her protest track “Kodaikanal Won’t,” brings a fresh, activist edge to the role of the dream‑driven protagonist.
Tiku, who wrote the 2021 film “Sherni,” says “Dreamboat literally came to me in a dream and I spent a few months trying to decipher it and mould it into a screenplay.” She aimed to blend relatable storytelling with a dream logic that would make the world of the film feel both familiar and fantastical.
Producer Amit Masurkar, a National Award‑winning filmmaker behind titles such as “Newton,” “Sherni” and “Sulemani Keeda,” praised the film’s unconventional premise and visual style. “What drew me to Dreamboat was its unconventional premise and the treatment boards Aastha had prepared for the film. I love how she used pop culture, music, colour, language, fashion to create this campy and surreal fever dream,” Masurkar explained.
With its world premiere at DIFF, “Dreamboat” will kick off a festival run that could see the short screened at other venues. Tiku is already developing her first feature‑length directorial debut, set to begin production in 2027.
