New Delhi: An old kulfi-maker walks the lanes of Old Lucknow, selling his delicacy to eager customers. The scene and the character are familiar to most people in Lucknow. In Ranveer Brar’s short film, Secret Ingredient, it is Sanjay Mishra who embodies the seller.
“This film reiterates that relationship with Lucknow,” Brar told ThePrint. “It also tries to answer the question: if 10 people make the same dish, how come only one or two make it like nobody else can?”
The 22-minute short film has been selected for the Mumbai International Film Festival 2026, in the International Short Fiction category. The film is produced by Brar, and written and directed by Archit D Rastogi.
Lucknow and kulfi
For Brar, Lucknow summers are inseparable from the kulfi ghada wrapped in a red cloth. He said that everyone from Lucknow has their own version of Rampher Kaka (Mishra).
“He will put conversations before money. He will put time before hurry. You know, there’s a saying in Lucknow: Lucknow ke sheher ko paise se zyada wakt ki barkat hai,” he said.
Secret Ingredient, titled Rampher ki Kulfi in Hindi, is based on the director’s childhood experiences. Rastogi knew a khulfi seller, whose sudden demise came as a shock to the director.
The story revolves around Rampher and how his popularity affects other kulfi sellers. Rampher’s rival Prakash (Sharib Hashmi) is on a mission to uncover the secret ingredient behind the delicacy that is hurting his business.
“In the end, Prakash realises that he isn’t mixing anything different from what they use in terms of ingredients. So, what is that thing that makes his kulfi different from theirs? The story is about that,” he said.
When Rastogi got to know about the chef’s love for Lucknow and its culinary culture, he took the film to Brar. The celebrity chef loved the idea and got involved in the project.
“He mentored us, suggested a few changes in the film, and supported us a lot… he saw a bit of honesty and hard work in the film,” said Rastogi.
(Edited by Prasanna Bachchhav)
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