Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal’s Girls Will Be Girls has won the highly coveted John Cassavetes Award at the 2025 Film Independent Spirit Awards. It is the first-ever Indian film to receive the honour.

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Films in this category are usually made on a budget of under $1 million. This is the first time that an Indian film qualified in this category and won.

Girls Will Be Girls was competing against Anora, A Real Pain

Girls Will Be Girls had a huge moment on the stage of the awards show as it won alongside other major category winners including Anora and Jesse Eisenberg’s A Real Pain. The Film Independent Spirit Awards are renowned for celebrating the finest in independent filmmaking, and Girls Will Be Girls’ historic win underscores the growing global recognition of Indian cinema.

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Directed and written by Shuchi Talati, Girls Will Be Girls also marks the debut of celebrated Indian actors Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal as producers under their production banner, Pushing Buttons Studios. 

Girls Will Be Girls recently premiered on Prime Video India. It started streaming from December 18, 2024, and has since received critical acclaim, with many calling it one of the best coming-of-age, women-led films to come out of India.

Plot and Star Cast

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Girls Will Be Girls stars Kani Kusruti, Preeti Panigrahi, and Kesav Binoy Kiran, tell the story of Mira, a young girl at a strict boarding school nestled in the Himalayas. As Mira navigates her sexual awakening and explores desire and romance, her journey is interrupted by her mother, who never had the chance to experience a similar coming-of-age journey. The film’s raw portrayal of adolescence, identity, and familial conflict has struck a chord with audiences worldwide.

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On the win, Richa Chadha shared her excitement and said, “This win feels like a dream. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve created with Girls Will Be Girls. This film represents not just a personal journey, but a collective effort of a team that believed in its voice. To see it recognized on such a grand stage is humbling. As the first Indian actor and producer to win an Independent Spirit Award, I feel like this is not just my victory, but a victory for all of us working to make diverse, authentic stories.”

Ali Fazal echoed his co-producer’s sentiment and added, “This win is a momentous one for us, and for Indian cinema as a whole. The spirit of independent filmmaking is about taking risks and telling the truth, no matter how uncomfortable or challenging that may be. Girls Will Be Girls does exactly that. I am proud to be part of a film that is pushing boundaries and making history.”

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Alongside the film’s historic win, Richa Chadha made her own mark by becoming the first-ever Indian actor and producer to win an Independent Spirit Award.