Dolcy D’Cruz
Goa has earned international recognition with ‘Waai’, a short documentary directed by Goan filmmaker Sainath S Uskaikar, winning the Best Documentary (Short) award at the prestigious New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF) 2026, held in New York, USA. Produced by acclaimed filmmaker Bharatbala under Virtual Bharat, in association with HCL Enterprise, ‘Waai’ was honoured at one of North America’s oldest and most respected festivals dedicated to Indian independent cinema. The New York Indian Film Festival is known for showcasing some of the most significant voices in contemporary South Asian filmmaking and has served as an important global platform for emerging and established filmmakers alike. An alumni of the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune, in the Television wing for the Direction course, Sainath’s debut short film, ‘Wagro’, was part of the Indian Panorama at the 53rd International Film Festival of India 2022.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
The film was screened across five continents, receiving numerous awards. His next documentary, ‘Gotho’, was screened at prestigious film festivals across the world. He followed his success with short films like ‘Konso’ and ‘Guntata Hriday He’. “I work with an interesting studio in Mumbai called Virtual Bharat. I came across the story while researching cultural traditions in India for Virtual Bharat, a Mumbai-based studio that documents the country’s diverse heritage. At the time, we were exploring stories that reflected the idea of ‘Human Potential Multiplied.’ During this process, I discovered a remarkable community in Bagadia, a remote village in Kutch, Gujarat, where the last four practitioners of the Waai tradition were striving to keep their musical legacy alive. Their commitment to passing this centuries-old art form to the next generation immediately drew me in and became the starting point for the film,” informs Sainath. ‘Waai’ is a story of the last four Waai singers in India, belonging to a Muslim nomadic community from Kutch. The film celebrates this unique musical form while focusing on the community’s efforts to pass on the legacy to future generations. Produced by Bharatbala under Studio Virtual Bharat, the film was directed by Sainath S Uskaikar, with cinematography by Sudeep Elamon.
The editing was handled by Dhanesh Gopal and Pratik Basankar. The soundtrack features performances by Meetha Khan, Sumar Kadu, Bhachaya, and Sareef. Sound design and mixing were led by Igor Yamawaki, while sound effects and dialogue editing were carried out by Roberto Buz. Music production was overseen by Sai Shravanam, with Lynette D’Mello serving as Executive Producer. The film was shot in December 2025 and was ready by March 2026. The whole sound design and mixing of the film was completed in Brazil by a Brazilian sound team. Speaking about his experience with the singers of this traditional music form, Sainath explains, “Having performed for many years, the Waai singers were completely at ease in front of the camera. Watching them dress in their traditional attire, sing their Waai songs, and play the Dhumbaro was a deeply moving experience. The more time I spent with them, the more I found myself drawn to their culture, values, and way of life. This is a documentation of their music for posterity and many NGOs are working in Kutch for music preservation.” ‘Wagro’ won the Best Director Award at the 9th Cap Spartel International Film Festival in Tangier, Morocco, where it had its African Premiere.
It also received the Ritwik Ghatak Golden Award for Best Short Fiction at the South Asian Short Film Festival 2022 in Kolkata and Best Short Fiction Award at the 9th Siliguri Documentary and Short Film Festival 2022 in Siliguri, and the Best Short Film Award at the North East India International Film Festival 2022, organized by NFDC in Nagaland. ‘Guntata Hriday He’ won the Best Cinematography Award at the Mumbai International Film Festival 2024, organized by NFDC. It won the Best Film Award at the 21st Kalpanirjhar International Short Fiction Film Festival, Kolkata (2023). In 2025, the film earned the Best Cinematography Award at the Darbhanga International Film Festival. ‘Waai’ will continue on its festival circuit with the next film festival in Europe in July. Sainath is back to work as he catches up on the next two documentaries, Dhol Tasha in Mumbai and Ajrakh printing in Rajasthan. NYIFF 2026 places ‘Waai’ among the festival’s celebrated award-winning films and further highlights the global resonance of stories emerging from Goan filmmakers.
