Cannes 2026: Mac Mohan Documentary Discovering Sambha Announced

A new documentary tracing the life of one of Hindi cinema’s most recognisable character actors has been unveiled at the Cannes Film Festival 2026, drawing attention to a career that quietly shaped some of Bollywood’s most iconic moments.

The project, titled Discovering Sambha, will explore the journey of veteran actor Mac Mohan, best remembered for his role in the cult classic Sholay. The announcement at Cannes highlighted how the film will revisit his long association with Indian cinema, while also looking at the personal life behind his on-screen image.

Rather than focusing only on his filmography, the documentary aims to reflect on identity, memory and legacy through a more intimate lens. It will include archival footage along with conversations

featuring family members and close associates, offering a layered look at the actor’s life and work.

Production on the film is set to begin in 2026, with a planned release the following year. The project will be an Indo-Australian collaboration, with Mac Mohan’s daughters taking the lead in bringing the story to screen.

Filmmaker Manjari Makijany, an Emmy-nominated director known for Spin and Skater Girl, will helm the documentary. She will co-produce it alongside Emmanuel Pappas under Asia Pacific Pictures. Her sister, Vinati Makijany, will produce the project through Mac Productions, the banner founded by their late father.

The creative team also includes Film Heritage Foundation founder Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, who has come on board as an advisor to support the archival and historical aspects of the documentary.

Speaking about the project, Manjari described the process as deeply personal and emotionally layered, calling it a journey of rediscovery. She said she continues to learn more about her father through stories shared by people who worked with him, noting that the experience has been both reflective and revealing.

In a statement, she said, “As a daughter, I’m piecing together memories, absences, and emotions with my sister that shaped our lives and influenced my own filmmaking journey.”

Actor Raveena Tandon, who is Mac Mohan’s niece, also reflected on his personality and recalled the warmth he carried off screen. She described him as someone whose presence lit up every room, adding that the documentary would help audiences see a more personal side of him.

She said, “Though he played the quintessential baddie on screen, he was a golden-hearted señor and one of the warmest people you could know in real life.”

Born Mohan Makijany on April 24, 1938, in Karachi, Mac Mohan initially came to Mumbai with dreams of becoming a cricketer before finding his path in theatre and acting training at the Filmalaya School of Acting. His early industry journey began as an assistant to filmmaker Chetan Anand, eventually leading to his screen debut in the 1964 film Haqeeqat.

Over the years, he appeared in more than 280 films, including notable titles such as Don, Trishul and Satte Pe Satta. His final on-screen appearance came in Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge (2010), released shortly before his death on May 10, 2010.