Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has announced plans for a new film policy to promote the national capital as a hub for cinema and film tourism. She also hoped that large-scale events like the Filmfare Awards could be hosted in the national capital.
“If people get opportunities in Delhi, they won’t have to go to Mumbai to hunt for a career in films. It will also generate many job opportunities in the city,” she said.
The chief minister was speaking at the Celebrating India Film Festival (CIFF) 2025 here. Held from August 8–10 at the NCUI Auditorium on Siri Fort Road, the three-day event emerged as a vibrant tribute to Indian storytelling—drawing cinephiles, filmmakers, and cultural leaders into a shared celebration of cinema, heritage, and vision.
The festival opened with Madhur Bhandarkar’s poignant India Lockdown, setting a tone of reflection and resilience. Screenings of iconic films like Manoj Kumar’s Kranti and the 4K-restored Umrao Jaan took audiences deep into India’s cinematic history, while regional and short films such as Venky, Sundarpur Chaos, Bahi, and Pankh showcased the breadth and diversity of emerging voices.
MP Manoj Tiwari sang a few lines of his song and said that “CIFF’s effort has helped the budding filmmakers to showcase their work and talent through their stage. This is the debut year of CIFF, and there were around 300 films, of which a few won cash prizes as well. I am sure CIFF will get back next year with more such wonderful films.”
Documentaries including Pavazha and Corals and Culinary Heritage of India highlighted both social realities and cultural depth, while a musical session titled From Bhava to Beat by Hema Sardesai explored the evolving soul of Indian music. Director R.S. Prasanna spoke candidly about building inclusive narratives, and producers Gaurav Dhingra and Sudipto Sengupta offered behind-the-scenes insights into the rigors of filmmaking.
The FTII Shorts Spectrum brought acclaimed titles such as ‘Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know’ and ‘And What Is the Summer Saying,’ while panels and masterclasses dissected the changing language of Indian cinema. Filmmaker Bharatbala’s Virtual Bharat project stood out as a striking visual journey through India’s diverse cultural landscape.
Among the festival’s highlights was three-time Grammy Award winner Ricky Kej’s stirring performance of Gandhi, Mantra of Compassion—a fusion of traditional Indian instruments and contemporary orchestration aimed at promoting sustainability.
When asked about if his Grammy Award-winning songs and albums will ever be made into movies, he said, “He would never want to compose a song for the movies, as they tend to objectify women in their item songs, which is now surprisingly getting normalised, which is extremely wrong.”
Actress Geetanjali Mishra lent her voice to discussions on everyday storytelling and representation.
The closing ceremony was attended by cultural and political dignitaries, including actor Dr. Annu Kapoor, playback singer Hema Sardesai, film director Bharatbala, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta, BJP MP Manoj Tiwari, and Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Shukla.
Delhi Culture Minister Kapil Mishra also proposed a future partnership between CIFF and the city government, calling the festival a “living tribute to India’s diversity.”