Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 15 Jul: KSM Film Productions announced the release of its much-anticipated Bollywood film, 5th September, at a press conference held here today. Scheduled to release on 18 July, the film is being hailed as a milestone for Uttarakhand, not just for its setting, but for its deep-rooted local involvement in cast, crew, music, and narrative.
The film features a stellar cast including Sanjay Mishra, Kunal Shamshere Malla, Atul Srivastava, Victor Banerjee, Kavin Dave, Sarika Singh Dave, Brijendra Kala, Kiran Dubey, Maliha Malla and Rishabh Khanna alongside a talented pool of local actors from Uttarakhand.
The press conference was attended by Kunal Shamshere Malla, who has directed, produced, co-written, acted in, and sung in 5th September; Anuradha Pundeer Malla, the co-writer of the film; Maliha Malla, who plays a key role and has also contributed as a singer; and Rishabh Khanna, who plays a pivotal character in the story.
Kunal Shamshere Malla, a well-known name in both education and cinema, expressed his deep personal connection with the project and said, “This is not just a film; it’s a tribute to teachers, students, and to Uttarakhand itself. We’ve shot every frame here, cast local talent, and embedded our culture into the heart of the story. I wanted to make a film that’s rooted, real, and yet universally moving.”
Set in a school nestled in the picturesque Doon Valley, the story of 5th September follows the final year of school life for a group of students and their teachers. At the heart of the story is the bond between mentors and learners, the pressures of growing up, and a symbolic football match that ties it all together.
Anuradha Pundeer Malla shared her thoughts on co-writing the screenplay and said, “We wanted to explore the emotional landscape of school life, such as the friendships, pressures, heartbreaks, and triumphs, all in the final year that defines so much of who we become. We poured our heart into each character and scene.”
It may be noted that 5th September has already made waves on the global stage with 20 nominations and 40 awards across prestigious film festivals across the globe. It is also the only Bollywood film to feature two Garhwali songs, marking a proud moment for the region’s linguistic and cultural representation in mainstream cinema.
Talking about her experience, actor and singer Maliha Malla said, “Being a part of 5th September was an incredible experience. Singing for the film and playing such an emotionally layered character taught me a lot.”
Addressing the media, actor Rishabh Khanna said, “Working on 5th September has been a transformative experience. Being part of a story so rooted in emotion and culture, and filming entirely in Uttarakhand, made it incredibly meaningful for me as an actor.”
The music of 5th September is another highlight of the film. The soundtrack features songs sung by renowned artists such as Bollywood Singer Sukhwinder Singh, Kunal Shamshere Malla, Amit Sagar, Aarav Kaler, and Maliha Malla, among others. Some of the highlighting songs in the film include ‘Hawa Se Baatein Karle’, ‘Pahadi Hain Hum’, ‘Bin Tere Har Lamha’, and ‘Happy Teacher’s Day’.
