The Good News (Danish Renzu) India |

The Good News
Danish Renzu
India. 2022. 10 min

Set against the backdrop of conflict-driven valley of Kashmir, the lives of two friends tragically intertwine over conflict and identity.

We introduce our story with HALEEMA SHAIKH, Kashmiri Muslim, distributing tehri (yellow auspicious rice) in a local shrine in Downtown Srinagar. TARA BHAT (late 20s), her best friend, Kashmiri Pandit, has been watching and waiting for her to get done. Haleema saves some tehri for Tara knowing how much she likes it. Later, Tara inquires about the good news. Haleema tells her there wasn’t any. She just felt like making tehri today. Tara tells her that however she has some good news. She is pregnant.

DANISH RENZU

Danish is a film director, whose work in direction and writing has received critical acclaim, whilst his work in drama specifically has earned him official selection in various film festivals and recognition in press and media. A graduate of the University of California Los Angeles, Danish was born in Kashmir, India. He also holds a Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering degree at UCLA and UCLA Writers’ Program certification in Screenwriting. His first independent feature film Half Widow (2017), received recognition receiving praise and raving reviews on various platforms all over the world. His second feature film The Illegal (2019), starring Academy winning ‘Life of Pi’ star Suraj Sharma as the lead, premiered at Austin Film Festival where it was nominated for ‘Best Feature in Narrative Section’ and won ‘Jury Award’ at Mumbai International Film Festival in 2019.

With no cinema in Kashmir, Danish Renzu hopes to inspire a new generation of Kashmiri filmmakers to practice their art as a force for unity in the conflicted region. He opened his own home production in Kashmir with a goal of reviving cinema back in the valley encouraging youth and local talent to pursue their dreams, also bring the lost culture, music, and traditions of Kashmir to a worldwide audience.