“How did they get there? Ask them and you will weep”: Tillotama Shome highlights the financial hardships of Indie films as India celebrates wins at 77th Cannes Film Festival

India celebrated historic wins at the 77th Cannes Film Festival including Anasuya Sengupta's Best Actress Award and Payal Kapadia's Le Grand Prix Award for All We Imagine As Light. Amid the celebration across the country, actress Tillotama Shome shed light on the struggles faced by independent filmmakers and actors.Celebrating success, highlighting challengesTaking to Instagram, Shome acknowledged the achievements but expressed concern about the unseen challenges. "How did they get there?" she questioned regarding the award winners' presence at Cannes. "Ask them and you will weep," hinting at the financial and logistical hurdles indie artists face.Beyond the awards: The road to CannesThe Night Manager actress spoke about the lack of institutional support for independent Indian cinema. She raised questions about film funding, production difficulties, and the burden on actors to self-finance travel for international recognition.A call to action: Support homegrown talentThe Lust Stories 2 actress’ heartfelt message urged audiences and the industry to invest in local storytellers. "Let's put some skin into this game if we are feeling so proud," she stated, advocating for a shift from mere celebration to active support. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tillotama Shome (@tillotamashome)Saba Azad echoes the sentimentActress-singer Saba Azad supported Shome's stance. Highlighting the need to fund independent cinema and filmmakers, she urged audiences to prioritise "real talent" over celebrity names. "There is a kind of Indian cinema that deserves our attention and support and it's shining the world over!! Let's give it the respect it deserves, back home too," Azad wrote.Also Read: Vivek Agnihotri congratulates the team of All We Imagine as Light after their Grand Prix win: “What an achievement. Wow!”