Indian actor and producer Abhishek Banerjee is celebrating a significant milestone as his film Stolen has been nominated in two major categories at the upcoming Asian Academy Creative Awards (AACA) 2025. Karan Tejpal, making his directorial debut, earned a nod for Best Director, while the film itself is in contention for Best Feature Film (Fiction).
"I feel Stolen was made for a universal audience. Thanks to the guts of Gaurav [Dhingra, producer] and Karan, it's representing India at the prestigious event," Banerjee told Mid-day, reflecting on the recognition.
Set against the backdrop of rural India, Stolen stars Banerjee alongside Shubham Vardhan and Mia Maelzer. The film revolves around two brothers who embark on a mission to help a woman rescue her abducted child. For Banerjee, the AACA nominations are a testament to the creative risks taken in bringing an uncompromising story to the screen.
"It's not easy to stand by a film like this. It's not a big-budget spectacle or a formulaic drama, but that was the reason we wanted to do it. Sometimes, you have to believe in the power of the story more than the numbers," he explained.
Banerjee credited Karan Tejpal for the film's nuanced execution, praising his sensitivity in handling the narrative. "Karan brought sensitivity to the subject. He never treated it like just another thriller; he wanted it to be honest and human. It takes courage for a debut director to stick to his vision the way Karan did. The fact that stories from our independent film scene can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with some of the best films coming out of Asia is something to celebrate," he said.
Stolen will face stiff competition in the Best Feature Film (Fiction) category, with contenders including Lembayung (Indonesia), Bullet Train Explosion (Japan), and Though Dead, Still Alive (Taiwan).
News18 Showsha review of the film, Stolen, reads, "Karan Tejpal's Stolen feels like a gut punch. A 90-odd minute thriller that grips you from the first frame and doesn't let go, it's one of those rare stories that feels both cinematically stylised and terrifyingly real. Beneath the pulse-pounding chases and moments of moral tension lies something darker and more inescapable: the feeling that this could happen to anyone, anywhere in India, and there would be no way out."