85 min | 2026 | India
TechnoCats
a film by gautam sonti
They run the corporations that shape how we communicate, learn, and think. We know almost nothing about them. This film goes back to where they began.
NEXT SCREENING: 31 JULY, 2026 AT PRITHVI THEATRE, MUMBAIPrevious Screenings:
22 April 2026 Bangalore International Centre, Bangalore
20 Feb 2026 Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (Preview)
The CEOs of Google, Microsoft, IBM and many other global tech corporations are graduates of Indian engineering colleges. Seven young people from seven parts of the country (the Seven Samurai) dream of joining the most prestigious of them all - the Indian Institute of Technology or IIT. Competing against one million applicants, they gain admission to IIT, but are soon disillusioned. Will they make their presence felt on the world stage? Or will they burn out along the way?The filmmaker, an IIT alumnus, follows the Seven Samurai over seven years—from their first semester to the third year of their careers. What emerges is a portrait of Indian society and its educational institutions that push young people to the brink, in pursuit of material success.Interwoven with their journey are four of the filmmaker’s classmates from 35 years ago, including one who made an audiovisual on IIT student life. As he rediscovers old slides and struggles to sync them with the audio track, this forgotten past frames the film’s exploration of ambition, success, and failure - in the race to win at all cost.TechnoCats isn't just a film about students. It's about the cost and meaning of excellence, the reality behind the rankings, and the quiet resilience of young minds navigating one of India's most intense institutions.