The season seems one for the unorthodox - what with Sanjay Bhansali's "Black", Vinod Pande's "Sins", Madhur Bhandarkar's "Page 3", and now, Sanjay Suri's "My Brother Nikhil", Manish Jha's "Matrabhoomi" and Dipak Tijori's "Khamosh: Khauff Ki Raat".

"It's certainly very encouraging for filmmakers who have for long hidden away their true vision for fear of failure," says Suri who co-produced "My Brother Nikhil", where he plays an AIDS-infected man struggling to survive with dignity.

"I guess more and more directors with vision and strength will come forward to have their say."

Releasing in theatres March 25, "My Brother Nikhil" is being marketed and distributed by Yashraj Films on the recommendation of Karan Johar, who fell in love with the project directed by debutant Onirban.

"I think the time for doing different cinema is now. It's a very healthy and healing happening," said Karan Johar, currently in London scripting his next directorial venture in which he hopes to "go beyond what he has done so far".

Releasing on the same day as "My Brother Nikhil" is debutant Manish Jha's long-delayed "Matrabhoomi" - a searing, shocking indictment of patriarchy and female foeticide starring Tulip Joshi as a Bihari rape victim.

Deepak Tijori, who had earlier made "Oops" on male strippers, will release his "Khamosh: Khauff Ki Raat" April 1 - a one-night thriller starring Shilpa Shetty in a totally uncharacteristic avatar.

April has its share of unusual fare - with journalist-turned-director Samar Khan's "Kuch Meetha Ho Jaye" and Harry Baweja's film on an autistic hero's fight for child custody in "Main Aisa Hi Hoon".