Outside the Box [Office] and the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA)
invite you and a guest to attend

A Special Theatrical Screening of

DHADAK 2

Directed by Shazia Iqbal
Screenplay by Rahul Badwelkar & Shazia Iqbal
Produced by Karan Johar, Umesh Kumar Bandal, Adar Poonawalla, Apoorva Mehta,
Meenu Aroraa, Somen Mishra, and Pragati Deshmukh

Beginning with a Zoom Q&A with the filmmakers

7:00 P.M. on Wednesday, March 11th, 2026

The Ray Stark Family Theater, SCA 108
George Lucas Building, USC School of Cinematic Arts Complex
900 W. 34th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90007

FREE ADMISSION. OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. RSVPs REQUIRED.
RSVPs ARE NON-TRANSFERABLE.

FOOD AND DRINKS ARE STRICTLY PROHIBITED IN THE AUDITORIUM.
 

CLICK HERE TO RSVP
 

About Dhadak 2

Targeted for his caste, Neelesh, a first-year student at an elite law college fights off vicious bullies and lethal threats to protect his dignity and forbidden love. The themes portray how caste identity dominates every aspect of life, particularly love and relationships in contemporary urban Indian society.

Running time: 132 minutes. In Hindi, with English subtitles.

About the Filmmaker

SHAZIA IQBAL (Writer, Director)

Shazia Iqbal is an Indian Writer/ Director based in Mumbai. She won the best debut Director at the 30th Sao Paulo Interna+onal Shorts Film Festival for her critically acclaimed short film, Bebaak. The film premiered at IFFLA and was screened at MOCA-Grand, Los Angeles under the programme ‘The new wave of South Asian Cinema’. Bebaak went on to win several International and Indian State and Critics’ award.

Her first feature film, Dhadak 2 is lauded as a historic film for unapologetically talking about caste and dalit politics in mainstream Hindi cinema. Iqbal has written and directed a Docu-fiction episode, Homecoming for Amazon Prime video’s anthology series, Love Storiyaan, which talks about real-life couples surviving Indian society’s forbidden ideas of love. Her episode was critically acclaimed and most watched episode of the series.

Her feature film script, Momo’s First Wedding was selected by the prestigious lab, Produire Au Sud for DIFF 2023. Another feature script, Blood Circle was selected for Film Independent’s Global Media Maker’s Screenwriting lab, 2019 in Los Angeles.

She is one of the protagonist in CBC’s Canadian documentary, Women beyond Bollywood, which talks about Indian women reshaping the film industry and changing its stereotypes. Before venturing into filmmaking, she worked as a Production Designer for fifteen years; She has designed International Emmy nominated, India’s first original Netflix series, Sacred Games (I & II) and International Emmy nominated mini-series Lust Stories.

About Outside the Box [Office]

Outside the Box [Office] is a weekly showcase for upcoming releases highlighting world cinema, documentary and independent film titles. The series draws from around the globe to present movies that may challenge, inspire or simply entertain.

To view the calendar of screenings, click here

To SUBSCRIBE to our MAILING LIST for upcoming free screenings and events, e-mail the word "Subscribe" to: aago@cinema.usc.edu
 

About the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA)

IFFLA brings to Los Angeles audiences the most exciting and groundbreaking independent cinema from South Asia and its diasporas. The festival offers emerging and underrepresented storytellers numerous industry-facing mentorship, educational and networking opportunities. A highly curated program along with a direct access to the professional film industry in Hollywood make IFFLA a unique platform for South Asian filmmakers.

IFFLA’s annual festival, now in its 23rd year, offers a vibrant program comprising features and shorts, including narrative, documentary, and animated works. The festival showcases films from eight countries in the South Asian subcontinent – Afghanistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka – as well as their diasporas in the US and worldwide.

Additional year-round programming ranges from noteworthy screenings with stimulating discussions between filmmakers and audiences; to special programs, such as retrospectives, spotlights, and masterclasses; community partnerships with LA-based organizations amplifying South Asian voices; and lively social events. All these activities are aimed at fostering a greater appreciation of South Asian cinemas, industries, and culture, from both the subcontinent and the diaspora.

IFFLA is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.

https://indianfilmfestival.org/

Check-In & Reservations

The USC School of Cinematic Arts operates all of its programs and activities consistent with the University’s Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor.

This screening is free of charge and open to the public. A reservation confirmation will automatically be sent to your e-mail account upon successfully making an RSVP through this website. Doors will open at 6:30 P.M.

All SCA screenings are OVERBOOKED to ensure seating capacity in the theater, therefore seating is not guaranteed based on RSVPs. The RSVP list will be checked in on a first-come, first-served basis until the theater is full. Once the theater has reached capacity, we will no longer be able to admit guests, regardless of RSVP status.

Accessibility Needs

Individuals with disabilities who need accommodations to attend this event may contact Alessandro Ago, Assistant Dean, Programming and Special Events, at aago@cinema.usc.edu or 213-740-2330. It is requested that individuals requiring accommodations or auxiliary aids such as sign language interpreters and alternative format materials notify us at least seven days prior to the event. Every reasonable effort will be made to provide reasonable accommodations in an effective and timely manner.

Parking

On-campus parking at the University of Southern California is limited. We recommend buying a day pass for the Royal Street Structure, located at the intersection of Royal Street and W. Jefferson Blvd. Parking passes are $20/car. For more information about parking at USC, please visit USC Transportation Website:

https://transnet.usc.edu/index.php/daily-and-hourly-parking/
https://transnet.usc.edu/index.php/about-us/entrance-hours/

Contact Information

Name: Alessandro Ago
Email: aago@cinema.usc.edu