Chef Vikas Khanna pens heartfelt films for Neena Gupta and Shabana Azmi, championing widows’ dignity through writing, scripting, and direction.
Chef Vikas Khanna, the Michelin-starred maestro behind New York’s acclaimed Junoon restaurant, has long transcended the culinary world. On January 21, 2026, he shared a poignant social media reflection: “Very few filmmakers have the blessing of working with two of India’s greatest talents – Neena Gupta and Shabana Azmi. Both these novels were written with them in my heart.” This revelation spotlights his dual role as author and auteur, channeling deep empathy into stories of resilience.
Khanna’s odyssey began with The Last Color, a novel he penned envisioning Neena Gupta in the lead. Transformed into a feature film, he took on writing the screenplay, dialogues, production, and direction. Starring Gupta as a widowed mother in Varanasi fighting for her daughter’s survival amid societal scorn, the film premiered at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival. It toured over 70 global festivals, earning accolades like the Best Feature at the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles, before streaming on Amazon Prime. The narrative amplified global advocacy for widows’ empowerment, mirroring Khanna’s humanitarian ethos seen in his cookbooks and TV shows like MasterChef India.
Neena Gupta, recipient of a National Film Award for her role, praised Khanna’s vision in interviews. “Vikas wrote this with me in mind; it’s raw and real,” she shared post-Cannes, crediting his script for giving dignity to marginalized voices. “He didn’t just direct, he lived the story.”
Now, Khanna unveils Imaginary Rain, his most personal tale yet. This novel-turned-film features Shabana Azmi as a failed chef returning to India not for glory, but redemption. Again, Khanna scripted, produced, and directed, infusing it with autobiographical whispers from his own journey, from Punjab’s kitchens to international acclaim. Slated for 2026 release, it promises the same emotional depth.
Shabana Azmi, a Padma Shri icon with over five decades in cinema, has lauded Khanna’s literary leap. In a recent chat, she noted, “Vikas’s words resonate because they’re born from the heart. Writing for me in Imaginary Rain feels like a homecoming, personal, profound.” Her involvement elevates the film’s exploration of failure, family, and cultural roots.
Khanna’s foray into novels, scripts, and direction underscores a rare versatility. “Some stories are not created,” he mused in his post, they’re lived. For Gupta and Azmi, these aren’t just roles; they’re testaments to his storytelling alchemy, blending food’s warmth with film’s fire.
