Shape of Momo director Tribeny Rai says even after film festival wins, people just ask her 'shaadi kab kar rahe ho'

Shape of Momo, a Nepali-language film set in Sikkim, marks Tribeny Rai's debut as a feature filmmaker. The film releases in theatres on May 29.

To call Shape of Momo one of the most important Indian films this year would not be an exaggeration. The Nepali-language film, set in Sikkim, is one of the rare feature films from the region and in that tongue. Helming it is first-time filmmaker Tribeny Rai, whose efforts have found backers in Zoya Akhtar, Reema Kagti, and Payal Kapadia. After winning acclaim at film festivals worldwide, Shape of Momo had its grand homecoming this week, with a theatrical release across India. Ahead of the release, Tribeny spoke to Hindustan Times about the joy of bringing the film to its home audience, the scope of independent cinema, and how her lived-in experience shaped the film.

Shape of Momo marks Tribeny Rai's directorial debut.

Tribeny on Shape of Momo's theatrical release

“I am really excited to release the film all over India and to have Reema (Kagti), Zoya (Akhtar), and Payal (Kapadia) on board. I don’t think any film from Sikkim has got the kind of support that this film has,” begins Tribeny as we talk about the film finally finding a release in India.

The filmmaker admits she is nervous about the home audience's reaction. “I am a bit nervous because the hero of the film is not the conventional protagonist you see. Apart from that, I feel people in India will be able to appreciate how people across the world have been able to,” she says.

‘We should not complain about misrepresentation’

Shape of Momo is set in Sikkim and tells the story of a woman who returns home after quitting her job, only to be beset by patriarchy and unrealistic expectations. The film features all local artists and was extensively shot on location in Sikkim. “Growing up, I didn’t see someone like us or our stories on screen. One of the primary reasons why I made the film in my language (Nepali) and set it in my own house in my village was that we have had very little representation,” says Tribeny.

But while many filmmakers complain about the underrepresentation of the North East in mainstream Indian cinema, Tribeny says instead of complaining, we should bring about a change. She explains, “I feel we should not complain about misrepresentation. This is the digital age; everyone is making films. We should take the reins into our own hands. If you want to be the hero of your story, you have to do it yourself.”

‘I have always felt like a second-class citizen’

After premiering at the Busan International Film Festival in September 2025, Shape of Momo was screened at four more international film festivals. It won the Songwon Vision Award and the Taipei Film Commission Award at Busan and the Golden Royal Bengal Tiger Award at the Kolkata International Film Festival. All these laurels may have made Tribeny a star across the world, but back home, she admits she still faces the same prejudices that her character does.

“After doing the rounds of (film) festivals, when I go back to my village and bump into someone, they say, ‘Film ho gayi, congratulations. Shaadi kab kar rahe ho?’ I grew up under the pressure to be the son my parents never had. Ours is a very progressive society, but I have always felt like a second-class citizen in my own place. This is why I wanted to make films. When you grow up thinking you are less of a person than the other gender, you end up making a film like Shape of Momo,” she says with a smile.

Shape of Momo released in select screens across India on May 29.