Telugu short film ‘The 3rd’ selected for Dadasaheb Phalke Film Festival 2026

Telugu short film The 3rd, directed by K A Muni Suresh Pillai, has been selected for the Dadasaheb Phalke Film Festival 2026, the film explores academic pressure through a narrative inspired by Newton’s Third Law of Motion

Hyderabad: The 3rd, a Telugu short film marking the directorial debut of senior journalist and writer K.A. Muni Suresh Pillai, has been officially selected for screening at the 16th Dadasaheb Phalke Film Festival 2026, scheduled to be held in New Delhi on April 30.

Conceptualized around Newton’s Third Law of Motion, the film presents a thought-provoking narrative on the intense academic pressure imposed on students by educational institutions in the relentless pursuit of ranks and performance metrics.

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The film is produced by Bharathamma under the Adarshini Chitra banner, with cinematography and editing by Adarshini Bharathikrishna. The cast includes Adarshini Sri, Obbu Prasad, Prof. Suravajjula Ramu, Pemmaraju Vijayaramachandra, Dr. Kiran Kumar, Balamurli, among others.

Notably, K.A. Muni Suresh Pillai has taken on multiple creative responsibilities for the project, including story, screenplay, dialogues, songs, and direction. The selection of The 3rd for this prestigious festival underscores its strong thematic relevance and cinematic appeal, according to a press release.