Born and raised in Karjanha village in Siraha Nepal, Santosh Shah is an aspiring role model for many. And now, his life story is going to be seen and heard by millions after the 76th edition of the Berlinale. Director Deepak Rauniyar is set to present ‘The Taste of Salt’ a story covering the life of immigrants, identity and real struggle they sustain. The movie has been selected for the prestigious Berlin Co Production market among 19 top “Official Feature Projects” out of nearly 400 international applications for presentation.
The film is set to premiere at the 76th Berlin International Film Festival on 12th February 2026 among 600 global producers, distributors, sales agents, and investors from different countries. It is made in collaboration between Nepal and the UK.
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| Source: The Kathmandu Post |
The two production companies ‘Nepal’s Adi Films’ founded by Rauniyar and actress Asha Magar and the British company ‘Film and Music Entertainment’. Sam Taylor is a co-founder and producer at Film and Music Entertainment.
Rauniyar is one of the few internationally acclaimed movie directors from Nepal. He rose to fame in 2012 as the director of ‘Highway’, the first Nepali movie to be screened at an international level, the Berlin International Film Festival. Some of his direction include Pooja, White Sun and Pooja, Sir.
Talking about the upcoming event Rauniyar said,
“At a time when immigration and identity are being attacked around the world and countries including the US are tightening visas, I feel it is important to tell the story. Santosh who was born in Nepal but reached the UK via India and not only made his name and career, but also introduced Nepali food and identity to the world, making a film on his story is very relevant now.”
He further added,
“The Taste of Salt is a great success story brought about by the struggle of an ordinary person.”
The film is primarily focused on the struggle of immigrants, caste discrimination, and deportation. Chef Santosh never imagined his personal story is going to be heard by the audience. He stated that the story is not just about cooking but all the battles associated with it. Chef Santosh Shah said,
“As proud as I was when my story was taught in Nepal’s school curriculum, this selection at a world renowned film festival is another great achievement.”
“I come from a very small and humble family in Nepal, and when I turned 14, I moved to India to work in the culinary industry because I had to support my family financially, and the industry means to achieve that. For the first three months, I worked as a kitchen porter at a restaurant in Gujarat, India, and I was then promoted to a Tandoor commis chef. That role made me realise how much I enjoy cooking and I realised that this was my calling and I have been pursuing it since. I am grateful that what I started as a means to support my family in Nepal turned into my passion.”
Shah was declared the first runner up in the UK’s reality cookery TV series BBC Master Chef: The Professionals in 2020. He once again competed in 2021 in the UK’s BBC Master Chef: The Professionals Rematch and was declared the winner.
Shah is currently living and working in Nepal owing multiple restaurant chains ‘Mithila thali’ serving a platter of traditional dishes from the Mithila region. He is also famous for his cookbook ‘Ayla’, a feast of Nepali dishes from Himalayas, Hills and Terai region of Nepal.
