Aastha Tiku’s directorial debut Dreamboat to premiere at Dharamshala International Film Festival; first look out
Aastha Tiku’s directorial debut Dreamboat is set to have its world premiere at the Dharamshala International Film Festival (DIFF), which will take place from October 29 to November 1, 2026.
The 24-minute fantasy comedy-drama stars Sofia Ashraf, Supriya Joshi, Tenzin Dalha and Prayrak Mehta.
Written and directed by Tiku, Dreamboat follows an underground musician whose unconventional relationship with her favourite pillow is interrupted by her mother.
She then embarks on a strange journey through Mumbai, where her friendships, desires and sense of reality begin to shift.
The abandoned pillow also takes on a life of its own, adding a surreal element to the story as the protagonist searches for love and connection in an increasingly unfamiliar city.
Aastha Tiku on the idea behind Dreamboat Tiku, who previously worked as the writer of the 2021 film Sherni, said the story originated from a dream and gradually developed into a screenplay.
“Dreamboat literally came to me in a dream and I spent a few months trying to decipher it and mould it into a screenplay.
I wanted the world of the film to feel relatable, at the same time coded in dream logic,” she said.
Explaining the central relationship in the film, Tiku added, “Through the fantasy genre with a female protagonist the intent was to capture the relationship of an artist and her muse - a pillow.
The film allowed me to follow my instincts and make something honest, punk and experiential.” Amit Masurkar backs Tiku’s directorial debut The film is produced by Tiku and National Award-winning filmmaker Amit Masurkar, whose credits include Newton, Sherni and Sulemani Keeda.
Masurkar said the film’s unusual premise and visual approach attracted him to the project.
“What drew me to Dreamboat was its unconventional premise and the treatment boards Aastha had prepared for the film.
I love how she used pop culture, music, colour, language, fashion to create this campy and surreal fever dream,” he said.
“We are excited to begin our festival journey with DIFF,” he added.
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