Kalinga Literary Festival Book Awards 2026

About the Recognition

Seema Kapoor’s autobiography Yoon Guzari Hai Ab Talak was announced as the winner in the Hindi Non-Fiction category at the sixth Kalinga Literary Festival Book Awards 2026.

Published by Rajkamal Prakashan in 2025, the book presents Seema Kapoor’s personal recollections and experiences, offering readers an account of her life and journey as a filmmaker and writer.

The recognition marks an important literary achievement for her autobiography, bringing her personal writing to the attention of a wider literary audience.

The awardees are scheduled to be felicitated at the inaugural ceremony of the Ek Bharat, Anek Bol Festival, presented by the Kalinga Literary Festival, on 18 December 2026 in New Delhi.

Official Recognition: Kalinga Literary Festival — KLF Book Awards 2026.

Award: KLF Book Awards 2026
Category: Hindi Non-Fiction
Winning Book: Yoon Guzari Hai Ab Talak (यूँ गुज़री है अब तलक)
Author: Seema Kapoor
Publisher: Rajkamal Prakashan
Status: Winner Announced
Award Ceremony: 18 December 2026
Venue: Travancore Palace, New Delhi

Third Eye International Film Festival — Special Jury Award

About the Recognition

Seema Kapoor’s feature film Haat: The Weekly Bazaar received a Special Jury Award at the Third Eye International Film Festival, according to the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) film catalogue.

Written and directed by Seema Kapoor, the film explores the social realities surrounding Natha Pratha, a custom that can place women at a disadvantage when they wish to leave a marriage.

The film’s subject and its portrayal of a woman challenging an unequal social practice form an important part of Seema Kapoor’s work as a filmmaker.

Source: NFDC Feature Films Catalogue.

Associated Film: Haat: The Weekly Bazaar
Festival: Third Eye International Film Festival
Year: 2009
Recognition: Special Jury Award
Director: Seema Kapoor

Best Story & Screenplay — Jagran International Film Festival

About the Recognition

Haat: The Weekly Bazaar, written and directed by Seema Kapoor, has been credited with the Best Story & Screenplay recognition at the Jagran International Film Festival in published biographical material.

The film addresses a social custom and follows a woman who challenges the unequal conditions imposed on her. Its story places questions of gender, social practices and individual agency at the centre of the narrative.

This recognition is associated with Seema Kapoor’s work in writing and developing the film’s story.

Source: Rajkamal Prakashan’s official author profile and published filmography.

Associated Film: Haat: The Weekly Bazaar
Recognition: Best Story & Screenplay
Festival: Jagran International Film Festival
Year: To be confirmed from the original festival record
Writer and Director: Seema Kapoor

Best Director (Critics) — Third Eye Asian Film Festival

About the Recognition

Some published biographies of Seema Kapoor list Haat: The Weekly Bazaar as the recipient of a Best Director (Critics) award at the Third Eye Asian Film Festival.

The NFDC catalogue, however, identifies a Special Jury Award at the Third Eye International Film Festival in 2009. The exact award title should therefore be confirmed against the original certificate or festival record before this is published as a separate award.

To avoid counting the same recognition twice, the two descriptions should not be treated as separate awards unless documentary evidence confirms that they were distinct honours.

Associated Film: Haat: The Weekly Bazaar
Reported Recognition: Best Director (Critics)
Festival: Third Eye Asian Film Festival
Director: Seema Kapoor

National Film Award Recognition — Abhay

About the Recognition

Seema Kapoor wrote the screenplay and dialogues for Abhay, a Hindi children's film that received the National Film Award for Best Children's Film for 1994.

The award recognised the film and its credited recipients. It is included here as a recognition associated with a film in Seema Kapoor’s writing career, rather than as an individual National Film Award presented personally to her.

Her writing contribution to the film remains an important credit in her career as a screenwriter.

Source: National Film Awards catalogue.

Associated Film: Abhay
Award: National Film Award for Best Children's Film
Award Year: 1994
Seema Kapoor’s Contribution: Screenplay and Dialogues

Film Festival Selections & Screenings

In addition to awards, Haat: The Weekly Bazaar has been documented in Indian and international film festival programmes. These appearances are listed separately because a festival selection or screening is not the same as a competitive award.

Indian Panorama — International Film Festival of India

Film: Haat: The Weekly Bazaar
Year: 2010
Recognition: Indian Panorama / IFFI programme listing
Location: Goa, India

The NFDC catalogue lists the film in connection with the International Film Festival of India in Goa in 2010. Indian Panorama selection is a programme recognition and should not be described as a competitive award.

Cairo International Film Festival

Film: Haat: The Weekly Bazaar
Year: 2009
Recognition: Festival screening / listing
Location: Cairo, Egypt

The NFDC catalogue also lists the Cairo International Film Festival in the film’s exhibition history. This provides a record of the film’s international festival presence.

Other Reported International Festival Presentations

Published biographies also associate Haat: The Weekly Bazaar with the following festival platforms:

Tongues on Fire, London

The Hidden Gems, Canada

The precise edition, year and selection status for each should be confirmed from the original festival programmes before adding further details.

About These Recognitions

Seema Kapoor’s documented recognition spans feature-film storytelling, screenwriting and literary writing. Her film Haat: The Weekly Bazaar has been associated with jury recognition and festival presentations, while Abhay received national recognition as a children's film. In literature, her autobiography Yoon Guzari Hai Ab Talak was announced as the Hindi Non-Fiction winner at the KLF Book Awards 2026.

This page will be updated as further awards, official selections and verified honours are documented.

Literary Recognition

Yoon Guzari Hai Ab Talak

Author: Seema Kapoor
Publisher: Rajkamal Prakashan
Publication Year: 2025
Recognition: Winner — Hindi Non-Fiction, KLF Book Awards 2026

Seema Kapoor’s autobiography received the Hindi Non-Fiction award at the Kalinga Literary Festival Book Awards 2026. The recognition highlights her work as an author alongside her career in filmmaking, writing and direction.

Filmmaker, Writer & Director

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seema.ckapoor@gmail.com

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