A filmmaker who refuses to be boxed in, Sudhanshu Saria has spent the last decade pushing the boundaries of storytelling—shifting effortlessly from heart-wrenching romance to high-stakes espionage. As he celebrates his birthday, let’s look at how he has conquered every genre with his unique cinematic vision.
Queer Romance: Loev—A Love Beyond Labels
Saria’s feature film Loev, a deeply personal queer road-trip romance, earned widespread acclaim at prestigious festivals like SXSW, BFI Flare, and the Mumbai Film Festival. Starring Shiv Panditt and Dhruv Ganesh, Loev broke new ground in LGBTQ+ storytelling and was later acquired by Netflix for a global release, solidifying Saria’s place as a bold and boundary-pushing storyteller.
Psychological Drama: Sanaa—A Woman vs. Her Inner Demons
Saria’s upcoming film, Sanaa, is already making waves across prestigious film festivals. A gripping psychological drama, it stars Radhikka Madan as an ambitious woman battling unresolved trauma. With a powerhouse cast featuring Pooja Bhatt, Sohum Shah, and Shikha Talsania, and written, directed, and produced by Saria himself, Sanaa cements his status as a storyteller who delves deep into human complexities.
Espionage Thriller: Ulajh—A Web of Intrigue
In Ulajh, Saria dives into the pulse-pounding world of espionage, proving his versatility yet again. This Junglee Pictures production stars Janhvi Kapoor as a young IFS officer ensnared in a dangerous conspiracy. Featuring a stellar ensemble including Gulshan Devaiah, Roshan Mathew, Adil Hussain, and Jitendra Joshi, Ulajh showcases Saria’s ability to craft a tightly-wound thriller while keeping his signature storytelling depth intact.
Coming-of-Age Drama: Big Girls Don’t Cry—Navigating Youth and Identity
Taking on the role of showrunner, co-writer, and co-director, Saria ventured into the world of streaming with Big Girls Don’t Cry (BGDC) on Amazon Prime Video. A Young Adult drama set in an all-girls boarding school, the series explores friendships, rivalries, and self-discovery. With Saria at the helm of the pilot and finale episodes, BGDC ensured that his trademark emotional honesty translated into long-form storytelling.
Period Romance: Sahiba—A Visual Spectacle of Love
Blending music and cinema, Saria wrote, directed, edited, and produced Sahiba, a breathtaking period film that serves as the visual companion to Jasleen Royal’s hit song. Starring Vijay Deverakonda and Radhikka Madan, the film transports audiences into a timeless love story, rich with poetic storytelling and stunning visuals. Sahiba became a massive success, topping the Spotify charts in India at #1, entering the Global Spotify charts, and continuing to trend in YouTube’s Top 100 with over 60 million views—cementing its place as a cultural phenomenon.
National Award-Winning Storytelling: The Mark of Excellence
Saria’s psychological thriller Knock Knock Knock won him India’s highest cinematic honor—the National Award for Best Direction in the Non-Feature category. It traces the tale of an elderly man haunted by memories after a young boy arrives. Saria's storytelling has not only been acclaimed across film festivals like SXSW, TIFF, and BFI Flare but has also reached audiences worldwide through MUBI