Writer-director Sushrut Jain’s moving and sharply-observed, coming-of-age drama THE TENANT is set to release worldwide (excluding India) on Friday, February 13th via global digital distribution platform Filmhub. The film will be widely available to purchase on streaming platforms like AppleTV, Amazon Prime Video, The Roku Channel, and Tubi for global audiences across North America, Europe, Southeast Asia, Australia, and other regions.
Set in a middle-class, Mumbai housing society, THE TENANT follows Meera, a bold and mysterious woman whose arrival unsettles her neighbors and sparks a storm of gossip, fascination, and judgment. Through the eyes of 13-year-old Bharat, who finds in Meera a source of inspiration and understanding, the film delicately explores themes of independence, conformity, desire, first love, and the loneliness of being different.
Produced by Daniel Walter (Picture Day) of Exit 5 Productions and Kanchan Kalra (Songs of Paradise) of Golden Creeper Pictures, the film stars Shamita Shetty (Mohabbatein) in a powerful comeback role as Meera, alongside Rudhraksh Jaiswal (Extraction) in a breakout performance as Bharat. The ensemble cast also includes Atul Srivastava (Stree), Sheeba Chaddha (Hamlet), and Swanand Kirkire (Three of Us). It was shot by DOP-turned-Director Pankaj Kumar (Khauf) and cast by Honey Trehan (Raat Akeli Hai).
“THE TENANT is about how we see each other—and how often we get it wrong,” says Jain, known for the documentary Beyond All Boundaries. “I wanted to tell a story rooted in India that also speaks to the universal journey of coming-of-age and finding the courage to stand up for what you believe in.”
This announcement comes after a successful film festival run, distribution by Sky UK, and the film’s theatrical release (digital expected later this year) in India, where it received widespread acclaim for its nuanced performances, layered writing, and socially relevant themes. The Times of India praised its “taut and stellar storytelling,” and Free Press Journal claimed: “Shamita is the heartbeat of the film. She has never looked so fresh, raw and confident.”
