JAMMU: Independent filmmaker Mohanjeet Kalsi has launched a crowdfunding campaign for her upcoming feature film Muntazir – The Awaiting, a story set against the backdrop of 1990s Jammu and Kashmir. Taking an alternative route to conventional film financing, Kalsi is inviting audiences, independent cinema enthusiasts and potential collaborators to become part of the project’s journey from development to the screen.
At the centre of Muntazir is Gulshan, a seven-year-old Kashmiri girl whose world revolves around one hope: the return of her father. Her search for answers takes an unexpected turn when she discovers a dead intruder and a letter carrying his final wish. Convinced that delivering the letter across the border could somehow help bring her father home, Gulshan begins to believe that an otherwise impossible situation might still hold a possibility of reunion.
While the narrative is rooted in the circumstances of 1990s Kashmir, its emotional foundation extends beyond geography. The film explores separation, innocence, uncertainty and the human tendency to hold on to hope even when circumstances offer little reassurance. The idea of waiting, as suggested by its title, becomes the central thread connecting the personal experiences of its characters with a broader human emotion.
Rather than depending entirely on traditional studios, investors or established financing structures, Kalsi has chosen crowdfunding as a way to bring the project closer to its potential audience. The campaign seeks financial contributions towards production and associated filmmaking expenses, including the requirements of recreating the visual and atmospheric setting of 1990s Kashmir.
Crowdfunding also offers an opportunity for people who connect with independent cinema to participate in the filmmaking process. The approach places greater emphasis on audience involvement, particularly for projects that may not necessarily follow the conventional commercial film financing route.
Kalsi brings more than a decade of experience across films, television, digital content, advertising and production. Her professional journey includes working as an Associate Director and Assistant Director, along with collaborations with international filmmakers Stanley Tong on Vanguard and Justin Chadwick on Next of Kin.
Her independent filmmaking work includes The Blue Helmet, which she wrote, directed and produced, and the documentary For the Love of Dogs, which has travelled through the international film festival circuit and received multiple recognitions. Alongside filmmaking, she has also pursued writing and is the author of Ajooni & The Famous Four: The Quest for the Seven Symbols, among other literary and creative projects.
Reflecting on the importance of audience participation, Kalsi cited her experience with Hanuman Ansh, which she described as an example of how public belief and support can help an independent idea develop into a larger project.
She believes that when people establish an emotional connection with a story, their involvement can go beyond simply watching the finished film. With Muntazir – The Awaiting, she is extending a similar invitation to those who wish to support independent storytelling and become part of the film’s production journey.
The campaign is currently open to contributions from individuals, brands and organisations interested in supporting the project. Contributions can be made through the UPI ID MSAJOONISTUDIOS.eazypay@icici or through its Ketto crowdfunding page: https://bit.ly/4cHh5tQ.
The filmmaker is also inviting enquiries regarding production support, partnerships and collaborations. Interested individuals can connect with her through Instagram at @mjkalsi or via email at mjkalsi@gmail.com.
With its Kashmir-based setting and a story built around a child’s longing for her father, Muntazir – The Awaiting seeks to bring an intimate human narrative to the screen. Its crowdfunding campaign now places the next stage of that journey in the hands of people willing to support independent cinema.
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