The recently concluded two-day Marathi Film Festival in Nagpur has been hailed as a significant success, drawing enthusiastic crowds and stimulating crucial conversations about the trajectory of regional cinema. The event, which wrapped up on Sunday, saw strong audience engagement and provided a platform for filmmakers and cinephiles to connect directly.
Festival Highlights and Screenings
The festival showcased a selection of critically-acclaimed Marathi films, with each screening followed by an interactive session between the creators and the audience. These discussions delved deep into aspects of storytelling, thematic choices, and the technical craft of filmmaking, creating a vibrant exchange of ideas.
The cinematic journey commenced on Saturday with the screening of 'Ghaat', directed by Chhatrapal Ninave. The film's narrative is rooted in the context of guerrilla warfare in forested areas, specifically Gadchiroli. Another notable interaction followed the film 'April-May 99', where director Rohan Mapuskar engaged with viewers. He also facilitated a telephonic conversation with Rajesh Mapuskar, the director of the popular film 'Ventilator'. During the event, Mapuskar expressed his gratitude to the Nagpur audience for their enduring appreciation of his work.
Key Discussions on Industry Challenges
A central feature of the festival was a seminar titled 'Marathi Cinema – Kal, Aaj ani Udya' (Marathi Cinema – Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow). This forum brought together filmmakers and scholars to address the pressing issues confronting the Marathi film industry. Prominent speakers, including Shailendra Bagde, Jayant Somalkar, Chhatrapal Ninave, Vinod Kamble, and Janardan Kadam, highlighted several systemic problems.
The challenges identified were multifaceted:
- Limited theatre availability for Marathi films.
- Bottlenecks in distribution networks.
- Inadequate promotion and marketing efforts.
Participants also voiced concerns over the growing dominance of OTT (Over-The-Top) platforms and the consequent erosion of the collective experience of watching films in theatres. The seminar underscored the need for strategic interventions to sustain and grow the regional cinema ecosystem.
Organizers and Future Announcements
The event was a collaborative effort organized by the Orange City Cultural Foundation (OCCF), Nagpur Municipal Corporation, Nagpur University, NFDC, Mukta Arts, Cine Montage, Saptak, and Persistent Systems. The inaugural ceremony took place at the Kavikulaguru Kalidas Auditorium, Persistent Systems, and was attended by dignitaries including NU vice-chancellor Dr Manali Kshirsagar, Dr Chandrashekhar Meshram (President of OCCF), filmmaker Vinod Kamble, and actor Janardan Kadam.
In his address, Dr Kshirsagar emphasized the economic dimensions of filmmaking and stressed the importance of robust public support for the art of cinema. The contributions of Dr Uday Gupte, Vilas Manekar, Nitin Sahasrabuddhe, and Pramod Kalamkar were instrumental in the festival's success.
Concluding the festival on a forward-looking note, Padma Shri Dr Chandrashekhar Meshram thanked the citizens for their overwhelming response and made a significant announcement. He revealed that a Health Film Festival will be organized from January 31 to February 1, 2026, indicating an expansion of the cultural initiative.
