Filmmaker Chaitanya Tamhane is turning heads and making our country proud at the Venice Film Festival with his latest film, The Disciple. According to media reports, The Disciple marks India’s return to the main competition at the festival after 19 years.

“What talent and possibilities look like!! Heart suit. Flag of India #SOPROUD #TheDisciple #ChaitanyaTamhane #VivekGomber,” wrote actress Nimrat Kaur on Twitter.

Taapsee Pannu was even more thrilled and Anubhav Sinha even more so.

“Indian Cinema on world stage. Not that bad an industry after all,” Pannu wrote while Sinha cheered: “Indiaaaaaaaaaaa…. India.”

The Disciple is among the 18 films selected for competition at the festival and is being presented by none other than Oscar-winning filmmaker Alfonso Cuaron. The last Indian film to earn this honour of being present at the competition was Monsoon Wedding by Mira Nair, which in 2001 won the festival’s top prize, the Golden Lion.