Aastha Tiku’s Dreamboat to Premiere at Dharamshala International Film Festival 2026

Filmmaker Aastha Tiku is set to introduce her directorial debut, Dreamboat, at the 15th edition of the Dharamshala International Film Festival (DIFF), scheduled to run from October 29 to November 1, 2026. The film is listed in the festival’s official programme as a 24-minute Indian short, placing Tiku’s first feature-directing step in the independent cinema space.

The project also marks a new chapter for Tiku, who previously wrote Sherni (2021), the Amazon Prime Video film directed by Amit V. Masurkar. With Dreamboat, she takes on writing and directing, shaping a story that blends romance, fantasy and an increasingly surreal journey through Mumbai.

What is Dreamboat about?

According to the official DIFF film page, Dreamboat follows an underground musician whose unconventional romance with her pillow is abruptly ended by her mother. The disruption sends her into a delirious journey through Mumbai, where her friendships and her grasp on reality begin to fracture. An enigmatic homeless poet becomes part of the journey, while the pillow itself appears to develop a will of its own.

The unusual premise places the film somewhere between romantic comedy, fantasy and psychological storytelling. Rather than presenting a conventional love story, it uses an unexpected emotional attachment to explore loneliness, desire and the instability of everyday life. That reading is an interpretation of the published synopsis, not a confirmed statement of the filmmaker’s intent.

Cast and creative team

The official festival listing credits Aastha Tiku as writer, with Tiku and Amit Masurkar as producers. The technical team includes cinematographer Kabir Tejpal, editor Joyjeet Sarkar, and composers and sound professionals Gowri Jayakumar, Kotesh Siram and Sayantan Chakrabarti. The listed cast includes Sofia Ashraf, Supriya Joshi, Tenzin Dalha and Moses Kaul.

Tiku’s earlier writing credit on Sherni provides useful context for her move into directing. The festival describes her new project as a science-fiction comedy, while its synopsis points towards a more surreal, character-driven story than a conventional romantic comedy.

Why the Dharamshala premiere matters?

The 15th Dharamshala International Film Festival will take place at Tibetan Children’s Village in Upper Dharamshala from October 29 to November 1, 2026. Its programme includes feature films, documentaries and short films, offering an exhibition space for independent filmmakers alongside established names.

For Dreamboat, the festival screening is an opportunity to introduce an unusual short-film concept to a curated audience. Its 24-minute runtime also makes it a compact entry in a festival programme spanning multiple formats and filmmaking styles.

The Celebrity Hour Take

The most distinctive element of Dreamboat is its central idea: a musician’s attachment to a pillow becomes the starting point for a surreal exploration of relationships and reality. That gives the film a clear identity beyond the announcement of a directorial debut.

For Tiku, the move from writing Sherni to directing a story with a more fantastical premise represents a change in creative role and narrative approach. The Dharamshala screening will give audiences an early opportunity to encounter this new work. Its wider release plans, if any, should not be assumed without an official announcement.

Sources & Verification

The film’s synopsis, creative credits and festival dates were checked against the official Dharamshala International Film Festival website. Additional film-credit information was cross-checked against Moviefone.