The documentary, produced by Bharatbala under Virtual Bharat in association with HCL Enterprise, takes home the top National Competition honour at MIFF — weeks after winning Best Documentary Short at the New York Indian Film Festival 2026
Mumbai, June 21, 2026 — ‘Waai’, a documentary directed by Goan filmmaker Sainath S. Uskaikar, has won the Silver Conch for Best Documentary in the National Competition at the 19th Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF). The Silver Conch is the top honour awarded in the National Competition section of the festival, one of Asia’s most prestigious platforms for documentary, short fiction, and animation cinema.
The film is directed by Sainath S. Uskaikar and produced by acclaimed filmmaker Bharatbala under Virtual Bharat, in association with HCL Enterprise.
‘Waai’ tells the story of the last four Waai singers in India, members of a Muslim nomadic community from Kutch, Gujarat. The film celebrates this rare musical tradition while documenting the community’s efforts to pass the art form on to the next generation before it disappears.
The MIFF win adds to a strong festival run for ‘Waai’, which won the Best Documentary (Short) award at the New York Indian Film Festival in May 2026, one of North America’s most respected platforms for Indian independent cinema.
About the Filmmaker
Sainath S. Uskaikar is an alumnus of the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune. His earlier work includes the short film ‘Wagro’, which was part of the Indian Panorama at the 53rd International Film Festival of India.
About Virtual Bharat
Virtual Bharat is a Mumbai-based studio led by filmmaker Bharatbala that documents India’s diverse cultural heritage founded by filmmaker Bharabala
