Global entertainer Lilly Singh has joined the short film Holy Curse as an executive producer, supporting Sunigdha Kapoor’s acclaimed drama about gender identity and cultural conformity.
The project has secured its place in the Oscar race after taking top honors at the 19th Tasveer Film Festival and Market, with the potential to be recognized at the 98th Academy Awards ceremony in 2026.
“I’m so proud to be a part of ‘Holy Curse’ and stand behind a film that speaks so much courage, kindness and truth,” said Singh. “Stories like this not only challenge norms, but also create space for people to see themselves with dignity. It’s an honor to help champion this journey.”
Kapoor’s story follows Radha, an 11-year-old child who grapples with questions about gender during a family trip to India. The protagonist is convinced that it is to break a generational curse, and encounters resistance from his relatives as he attempts to perform a traditional ritual. The film interweaves comedic and dramatic elements while exploring the tension between personal identity and family expectations.
Singh’s involvement comes as he expands the scope of his production efforts through Unicorn Island Productions and its affiliated foundation, which specializes in developing marginalized storytellers. Her debut film, Doin’ It, in which she starred and co-wrote, was released at SXSW 2024 and earned her recognition in Variety’s Power of Comedy extravaganza. The former late-night show host broke barriers as the first woman of color to anchor a program in that format on a major broadcast network. Her advocacy work includes recent appointments as both a UN SDG Advocate and a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.
Mrunal Kashid leads the ensemble in a ground-breaking turn, joined by acclaimed performers Aditi Kalkunte, Anup Soni, Prarak Mehta and Shardul Bhardwaj.
The festival’s profile has steadily increased, winning jury awards at both Reeling in Chicago and the Indian Film Festival in Los Angeles, as well as Best LGBTQ+ at Flickerfest. Other showcases include London’s BFI, Palm Springs Shortfest, Cleveland’s International Showcase, Japan’s Short Shorts Festival, and the Mumbai Film Festival.
Kapoor enlisted Neeraj Churi behind the camera. His Lotus Visual Productions recently backed the Sundance Award winner “Cactus Pears” and the SXSW hit “A Place of Our Own.” The production team also includes Nupur Sinha, best known for National Geographic’s Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted, and Shweta Borakani, who has worked with major Indian production companies such as Dharma and Excel Entertainment.
Additional team members include Ashish Sawhny in a creative consulting role and Dheeraj Agnihotri as associate producer in charge of publicity. Technical contributors include Emmy-nominated cinematographer Juhi Sharma, National Award winner Anadi Asare for editing, colorist Mahak Gupta, composer Alex Simcox, and the casting team from Kabik Productions.
Mr. Kapoor’s previous films include “Look Like You,” which became an audience favorite at the Asian American International Film Festival and is now available to watch through BFI Player.
Singh is repped by UTA and 03 Media.
