Sole Indian film among 3,127 entries makes the cut at student Oscars: Sidharth Harikumar’s ‘Vasu’

Out of 3,127 entries from student filmmakers across the globe, only 28 short films were selected for the final shortlist at the 2025 Student Academy Awards. Among them, ‘Vasu’ by Malayali filmmaker Sidharth Harikumar is the only entry from India to make it to the finals. It is one of seven films competing in the Narrative category at what is widely known as the Student Oscars.

“I’m over the moon. This is an absolutely surreal moment,” says Sidharth. “Even getting selected as a semi-finalist felt unexpected, but being a finalist, especially as the only Indian, makes it even more special.”

When the first email came in confirming his semi-finalist spot, Sidharth didn’t believe it was real. “I thought it wasn’t true until I saw my name on the Oscars website,” he says. “The same thing happened when I was named a finalist. I saw the message from the submission portal, but waited for the official confirmation before it truly sank in. That email meant everything.”

The other films in the Narrative category are ‘Bare Feet’ by Vincent Mocco, ‘Butcher’s Stain’ by Meyer Levinson-Blount, ‘Dad’s Not Home’ by Jan Saczek, ‘Dandelion’ by Fiona Obertinca, ‘Death Lives’ by Lukas Vacula, and ‘Kubrick, Like I Love You’ by Zefan Wang. Sidharth hasn’t had the chance to watch them yet, as most of these titles aren’t publicly available and are still in the festival circuit.

Set in Kerala, ‘Vasu’ follows a retired police officer who is emotionally burdened by a violent act he once committed while on duty. The short film was made as part of Sidharth’s final project at the Met Film School in Berlin. Although the course required only a cinematography assignment, he proposed making a complete short film instead and the idea was approved.

Sidharth didn’t take the conventional route into cinema. After completing an engineering degree, he pursued a Master’s in Directing in London. But when his father passed away, he returned to Kerala and put his filmmaking dreams on hold. Years later, he reignited that passion and enrolled in a second Master’s, this time in Cinematography, in Berlin.

“I come from a very humble background. When my father was alive, he supported me wholeheartedly. After he passed, I didn’t have anyone to back me,” he says. “‘Vasu’ is a completely independent film, with no support from agencies or producers. For it to reach this kind of global recognition feels overwhelming. And the fact that it's a story from Kerala makes it even more special.”

Sidharth credits his crew for helping bring the film to life, especially 77-year-old theatre actor Parameswaran Kuriyathi, who plays the lead. “He gave everything to the role, even in the physically demanding scenes. He was thrilled when he heard about the selection,” he says.
With ‘Vasu’, Sidharth’s journey has taken a dramatic turn. For now, he’s taking it all in, one moment at a time, and waiting to see where this global recognition leads him next.