Pyre Movie Vinod Kapri: Cast, Reviews & Showtimes

Pyre Movie Vinod Kapri: What Is the Film About and Why Is Uttarakhand Talking About It?

Pyre (Chita) is a Hindi-Kumaoni drama written and directed by National Award-winning filmmaker Vinod Kapri. Set in a remote village in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand, it follows an elderly couple, Padam and Tulsi, who have waited 28 years for their son to return from the city. The lead roles are played by two first-time actors from Uttarakhand, Padam Singh Kapri and Hira Devi. After its world premiere at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award, Pyre travelled to many international festivals and finally reached Indian cinemas on 30 October 2026.

Uttarakhand’s stories are not limited to sport. We have earlier written about Brijendra Kala’s role in Raid 2, the film announced on the Silkyara tunnel rescue, and Mir Ranjan Negi, the real-life hero behind Chak De! India. Pyre belongs in the same list because its village is in one of the 13 districts of Uttarakhand and its people reflect the same hill life that the Harela festival celebrates.

Pyre Movie Quick Facts

• Film: Pyre (Chita)
• Director and writer: Vinod Kapri
• Lead cast: Padam Singh Kapri and Hira Devi (also spelled Heera Devi)
• Language: Hindi, with Kumaoni flavour; the theatrical release is in Hindi and Malayalam
• India release date: 30 October 2026 (earlier announced for 23 October, then moved)
• Runtime and certificate: 1 hour 55 minutes, U certificate
• Music: Mychael Danna and Amritha Vaz, with lyrics by Gulzar as featured in the official trailer
• Cinematography: Manas Bhattacharyya
• Production: Bhagirathi Films and Mashakbeen Studios
• Theatrical distribution: Cinépolis

Pyre Movie Story: An Elderly Couple and a Very Long Wait

Pyre is set in a remote village in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand. It follows Padam Singh and his wife Tulsi, an elderly couple who live among goats, steep paths, and houses that are slowly emptying. Their son Hariya left for the city nearly 28 years ago in search of work, and the couple still hope he will return one day.

The film does not rely on big twists. It watches how a marriage of decades survives on small quarrels, shared habits and care, while the village around them loses its young people one by one. Hope returns when news of the son arrives, and the story then asks a harder question: what happens to people who grow old in places the rest of the world has left behind?

Is Vinod Kapri From Uttarakhand?

Yes, Vinod Kapri’s connection to the state is the emotional base of this film. According to a Scroll report, Kapri belongs to Kumaon, and Pyre was shot entirely on location in and around his own village there. The story is directly inspired by an elderly couple he met while trekking in Uttarakhand. Kapri has said he wanted people in small hill towns without cinema halls to see their own lives on the big screen.

This is why the film is being called an Uttarakhandi story in the truest sense: the director, the setting, the language, and the two lead actors all come from the hills.

Pyre Movie Cast: Real Villagers, First-Time Actors

The biggest surprise of Pyre is its lead pair. Both actors are from Uttarakhand and had never faced a camera before this film.

• Padam Singh Kapri (Padam): About 80 years old, a retired Army man who plays the lead role with his own name.
• Hira Devi (Tulsi): About 70 years old, a homemaker and former dancer who plays Padam’s ailing wife.
• Subhash Chandra (Laxman), Shubham Chaudhary (Jeewan) and Sadab Khan (Bishan) play the village youth and the postman who connect the couple to the outside world.
• Other cast members include Alok Verma, Gopa Nayal, Deewan Kanwal, Jaya Shah and Pushpa Pandey.

Scroll reported that Naseeruddin Shah had caught COVID, which made it difficult for him to shoot at high altitude, so Kapri decided to cast non-professional performers from Uttarakhand itself. That choice shaped the whole film. Critics at festivals repeatedly pointed to how natural the performances feel.

Pyre Crew and Music

Behind the camera, Manas Bhattacharyya shot the mountain landscape, while Patricia Rommel and Subhajit Singha handled editing. The score is by Oscar-winning composer Mychael Danna along with Amritha Vaz, and the official trailer credits legendary lyricist Gulzar. The film is produced by Vinod Kapri, Suresh Joshi and Arindra Rai Chaudhuri under Bhagirathi Films and Mashakbeen Studios.

Pyre Film Festival Journey and Awards

Pyre was never a surprise release. It travelled the world first, and audiences responded in many countries.

• Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (Estonia): World premiere in the Official Competition, where it won the PÖFF Best Film Audience Award.
• Bengaluru International Film Festival: Opening film of the 2025 edition and winner of a Jury Special Mention in the Asian Cinema competition.
• London and Birmingham Indian Film Festivals: Best Film Audience Awards in both cities.
• Indian Film Festival Stuttgart (Germany): Grand Jury award for Best Feature Film.
• India International Film Festival of Boston and Novi Sad Film Festival (Serbia): Best Director recognition.

Outlook India reports that the film has collected 18 international awards so far, including 15 Best Film honours. It was also screened at festivals in São Paulo, Cambridge, Bath, Tehran (Fajr) and Kerala (IFFK).

Pyre Movie Trailer and Release Date

The official trailer of Pyre was unveiled on 12 October 2026, and it runs for about 2 minutes 41 seconds. It gives a glimpse of Aama and Bubu, the ageing couple at the centre of the story, moving between gentle humour and worries about loneliness and mortality. The makers announced the new release date of 30 October along with the trailer, after the film had earlier been scheduled for 23 October. Cinépolis is handling the theatrical distribution in India.

Pyre Movie Review: What Critics Say

Reviews for the Indian release started appearing on 30 October. Outlook India gave Pyre 3 out of 5. The reviewer praised the unpolished honesty of Padam Singh Kapri and Hira Devi, the way the film refuses to turn village hardship into a postcard, and the restrained cinematography. The main complaint was that the deliberate pacing makes the middle stretch feel repetitive.

During its festival run, The Indian Express described Pyre as a portrait of loneliness, migration and old age, and Asian Movie Pulse called it a haunting story that stays with the viewer. Early reactions suggest this is a slow, emotional film rather than an entertainer, so it works best for viewers who like quiet, character-driven cinema.

Pyre Movie Showtimes and Tickets

Pyre is playing in theatres across India, and showtimes depend on your city and cinema hall. You can check live shows and book seats on the official Pyre page on District, which also lists the cast, trailer, and runtime. Showtimes can change from day to day, so it is a good idea to check the listing for your area before heading out.

As of 31 October 2026, no official OTT release date has been announced.

Special Screenings in Uttarakhand

Many small hill towns have no cinema hall, so the makers took the film to the audience. Before the theatrical release, special screenings were held in Berinag, Bageshwar and Srinagar Garhwal from 14 to 17 October through Picture Time, a mobile theatre initiative. Bageshwar is also the home district of cricketer Prema Rawat, who made India’s Women’s T20 World Cup squad, a reminder of how much talent comes out of the hills.

Vinod Kapri’s Earlier Films

Pyre is not Kapri’s first brush with real stories. His short documentary Can’t Take This Shit Anymore won the National Film Award for Best Film on Social Issues at the 62nd National Film Awards. He also directed Miss Tanakpur Haazir Ho (2015), the thriller Pihu (2018) and the migrant-worker documentary 1232 KMS. Across these films, one thread is constant: he tells stories of ordinary people caught in bigger social forces, and Pyre continues that with the issue of migration from the hills.

Why Pyre Matters for Uttarakhand

Palayan, the steady movement of young people from hill villages to cities, is one of Uttarakhand’s biggest challenges. Pyre turns that statistic into two faces and one long wait. For readers of Uttarakhand Sports Foundation, it also connects with our own mission: giving hill youth reasons and opportunities to build their careers without leaving their roots behind. If you want more inspiring names from the state, read our list of famous Uttarakhand sports persons.

Pyre Movie FAQs

Who is the director of Pyre?

Pyre is directed and written by Vinod Kapri, who is also one of its producers.

When was Pyre released in India?

Pyre was released in Indian cinemas on 30 October 2026. It was earlier announced for 23 October, and the date was later moved.

Who are the lead actors in Pyre?

The lead roles are played by Padam Singh Kapri and Hira Devi, two first-time actors from Uttarakhand.

Is Pyre shot in Uttarakhand?

Yes. The film is set in the Kumaon region and was shot on location in Uttarakhand, in and around director Vinod Kapri’s own village.

What is the runtime and certificate of Pyre?

Pyre runs for 1 hour 55 minutes and has a U certificate, according to its District listing.

Who composed the music of Pyre?

The music is by Mychael Danna and Amritha Vaz, and the official trailer credits Gulzar for the lyrics.

Is Pyre available on OTT?

No official OTT release date has been announced yet. For now, the film is running only in theatres.