Mumbai, August 14 2026: Indian filmmaker, actor and writer Titus Upputuru’s short film The Midnight Therapist has received two Honourable Mentions at the Hollywood Shorts Festival, earning recognition in the Best Short Film and Best Actor (Titus Upputuru) categories.
The recognition adds another international honour to the film’s growing festival journey, following its selection at film festivals in the United States and Europe. The film was previously selected for the New York Indie Shorts Awards, and Italy’s Verona International Short Film Festival, continuing its run on the international festival circuit.
The Midnight Therapist is an intense psychological drama that unfolds over a single night and centres on an unexpected encounter between two men. Set against the haunting backdrop of railway tracks, the film explores despair, loneliness, destiny and the possibility of human connection in the most unlikely circumstances.
The film stars Titus Upputuru and Keshav Bhardwaj, with cinematography by Shakil Rehan Khan and an original score by Micu Patel. It is produced by ADSCII Media and Edworld INC.
At the heart of the film is the idea that two lives can cross for just a few moments and can change the course of one’s life.
Speaking about the recognition, Titus Upputuru, director and lead actor of The Midnight Therapist, said:
“There is something incredibly special about this recognition because The Midnight Therapist is such an intimate and deeply personal film. We made it with very little noise around it, simply hoping that the story and the performances would find their way to people. To have it recognised in Hollywood in both the Best Short Film and Best Actor categories is deeply humbling. I am grateful to God, and immensely grateful to every person who gave this little film their heart.”
For Upputuru, the Honourable Mentions mark another milestone in a career that has moved fluidly between advertising, cinema and performance. A gold medallist with a Master’s degree in English Literature, Upputuru has spent more than two decades in the creative industry, directing and producing films and advertising campaigns for some of India’s leading brands.
His advertising work has received recognition at international platforms including The New York Festivals, British Design and Lurzer’s Archive, while his filmmaking has earned honours at Indian and international awards platforms. His work for Afghan Telecom was exhibited at the White House. As an actor, writer and director, he has also been associated with award-winning cinema, including recognition at the Dadasaheb Phalke Awards and Filmfare.
Through The Midnight Therapist, Upputuru turns his storytelling sensibility towards a more intimate cinematic language—using silence, atmosphere and performance to explore the fragile spaces between despair and hope.
The film’s international festival journey continues, with its makers preparing for further screenings and festival appearances before its wider release in India.
