Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Chitrangada Satarupa starrer “I’m Not an Actor” (Main Actor Nahin Hoon) will open in Indian cinemas on May 8 through distributor Platoon One Films, following a U.K. theatrical run and a festival circuit that yielded multiple acting prizes for its two leads.
Written and directed by Aditya Kripalani – who also produces alongside Sweta Chhabria Kripalani of Mumba Devi Motion Pictures and Faizuddin Siddiqui of Side Hero Entertainment Pvt Ltd – the film centers on Mouni (Satarupa), a puritanical Mumbai actor who connects via video call with Adnan Baig (Siddiqui), a recently retired banker in Frankfurt, through an online audition. Over a single day, the remote acting class they conduct together forces both characters to confront buried emotional truths.
The production claims a first for Indian cinema: it was filmed live across two countries simultaneously over 28 days, with both leads performing in real time on video calls while separate units shot them in Mumbai and Frankfurt respectively. The crews contended with a four-and-a-half-hour time difference and sharply contrasting weather conditions between the two cities.
The film had its world premiere at Cinequest. Siddiqui took home the best actor award at the 25th New York Indian Film Festival, and Satarupa won best actor (female) at the same event. Kripalani received the best director (jury) prize at the DC South Asian Film Festival. The film received its U.K. theatrical release in October 2025, and a German release is planned shortly after the India opening.
“‘Main Actor Nahi Hoon’ is unapologetically a director’s film,” said Platoon One Films founder Shiladitya Bora. “Aditya brings a distinct independent perspective, and that’s exactly the kind of filmmaking we’re drawn to at Platoon One. Work that isn’t trying to fit a mould, but redefine it. Our focus is on targeting the right audience, securing the right screens, and giving the film a theatrical run that allows it to be experienced as intended on the big screen.”
“We feel that with the amount of humor that Nawaz Saahab has brought to the role, the film has been very well received in theaters where it’s a collective experience,” Kripalani said. “And so, bringing the expertise of Shiladitya Bora on board was a welcome add on.”
“We were surprised at how much fun audiences were having at the screenings in New York and even in San Jose,” Siddiqui said. “We thought that we must get people to see the film as a community even in theaters in our country.”
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