Miles away from Italy where the action was, or the UK where mentor and the film's executive producer Alfonso Cuarón lives, a wave of cheer erupted in the Tamhane household in Andheri. And with it, a wave of pride washed over Indian filmmakers and cinephiles as news broke on Saturday night that Chaitanya Tamhane's The Disciple had bagged the Best Screenplay award at the 77th Venice Film Festival, two decades after Mira Nair's Monsoon Wedding had walked away with the Golden Lion. Only a day earlier, The Disciple had won the FIPRESCI Award.

"To win two awards at Venice where you are competing with stalwarts is overwhelming. We did not make the film to win awards, but it feels special to get recognition from such accomplished jury members. It's a big moment for Indian cinema," says the two-film-old director who is quickly becoming a force on the international circuit. His directorial debut, Court (2014), had bagged the Best Film in the Orizzonti section and the Lion of the Future award at the prestigious film gala in 2014.