Celebrating India Film Festival 2025 ended recently, Read further to know everything about it.
Delhi’s three-day-long film festival – Celebrating India Film Festival (CIFF 2025) – was special in ways more than one. Held at NCUI Auditorium from August 8 to 10, the festival paid tribute to not just India’s stories, but also its diverse dreams and voices. After the inaugural ceremony, the festival witnessed the screening of Madhur Bhandarkar’s India Lockdown, which captured the battles people fought during the toughest times. Viewers were also treated to Manoj Kumar’s 187-minute epic Kranti. The festival also saw the screening of shorts including Bahi and Pankh.
If the first day lit the flame, the second made it blaze.
The 4K-restored Umrao Jaan held the screen with its ageless poise, Rekha’s courtesan unfurling in every gesture the grace of another era. Venky and Sundarpur Chaos reminded audiences of the daring breadth of regional cinema. Short films curated by the Film Critics Guild offered deft punches of storytelling, from Behrupriya to Virundhu, while documentary nominees like Pavazha, Corals and Culinary Heritage of India roamed the country’s landscapes and kitchens with equal passion. Hema Sardesai’s exploration of the journey “From Bhava to Beat” was a lyrical reflection on music’s changing soul; later, Gaurav Dhingra and Sudipto Sengupta dissected the rigours of producing and directing with an honesty rarely spoken on public stages. Night drew in with A Boy Who Dreamt of Electricity, an ode to persistence against the odds.
The final day was a crescendo. Call Me Dancer opened the day before giving way to Mukam Post Devnacha Ghar, its Marathi dialogues rolling like music through the auditorium. Beta Hall’s FTII Shorts Spectrum gathered a bouquet of voices, Raman Kumar’s portrait of Kaifi Azmi, Payal Kapadia’s meditative And What Is the Summer Saying, and Chidananda Naik’s Sunflowers Were the First Ones to Know, each threaded by a quiet luminosity. Midday conversations carried a different charge. The FTII’s masterclass on the language of cinema drew filmmakers-in-waiting to the edge of their seats; a panel on the evolving language of Indian film brought the insight of seasoned critics; and then came Bharatbala, guiding an audience through the preservation of culture via the Virtual Bharat project. Speaking at this point, Kapil Mishra, Minister of Art, Culture, and Languages, Government of Delhi, said, “CIFF is a living tribute to India’s vast cultural and linguistic heritage. Each frame screened here carries the heartbeat of a nation in transformation. Our heritage is unlike any other in the world, and in these rapidly changing times, cinema has emerged as one of the most powerful ways to preserve it, celebrate it, and share it with the world. I applaud every filmmaker whose work illuminated this festival, and I am proud to propose that the next edition of CIFF be organised in partnership with the Delhi Government, so that together, we can make this celebration of India even grander.”
Later, Geetanjali Mishra’s presence in the discussion on Everyday India, Extraordinary Roles lent an actor’s intimacy to the dialogue and Grammy Award–winner Ricky Kej took the stage to weave an extraordinary tapestry of sound. With his composition Gandhi, Mantra of Compassion, Kej masterfully fused the themes of sustainability, music, and the planet into a single, evocative narrative.
As the grand finale drew close, Smt. Rekha Gupta, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Delhi, shared her thoughts. “CIFF 2025 has been a vibrant celebration of Delhi’s artistic soul and our commitment to the arts. If a person comes to Delhi, he should feel that he has to see Delhi. We want to do everything to reawaken the city’s historical glory. Films are embedded in our culture; they employ millions, strengthen the economy, and connect us to social realities. This joy and learning must grow. And along with that, the film tourism here should also increase. We are preparing to bring a new state film policy. We also want to have film shootings here, to have a Filmfare Award here, and to have a film festival here.”
Through a combination of traditional Indian instruments and contemporary orchestration, the piece resonated as a call to compassion and environmental stewardship. The performance was not just a musical highlight of CIFF 2025, it was a stirring reminder of how art can inspire change and unite diverse voices in a shared mission for a greener, more mindful world.
As the grand finale drew close, Smt. Rekha Gupta, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Delhi, stepped on stage to capture the spirit of the moment: “CIFF 2025 has been a vibrant celebration of Delhi’s artistic soul and our commitment to the arts. If a person comes to Delhi, he should feel that he has to see Delhi. We want to do everything to reawaken the city’s historical glory. Films are embedded in our culture; they employ millions, strengthen the economy, and connect us to social realities. This joy and learning must grow. And along with that, the film tourism here should also increase. We are preparing to bring a new state film policy. We also want to have film shootings here, to have a Filmfare Award here, and to have a film festival here.”
The evening saw with the presence of Dr. Annu Kapoor, whose stature spans generations; Bharatbala, whose vision framed the festival’s heartbeat; Ricky Kej, performing Gandhi, Mantra of Compassion; and Hema Sardesai, her voice carrying the weight and joy of a shared cultural inheritance. While talking about the festival’s success, Mukesh Gupta, Festival CMD, said, “CIFF 2025 has truly become a people’s celebration of cinema. We are proud to have brought world-class films to Delhi and created meaningful conversations that honour the depth and diversity of Indian storytelling. For decades, Mumbai and Goa have been the main stages for India’s grand film festivals, but this year, Delhi claimed its own spotlight. CIFF is now Delhi’s very own film festival, a cultural milestone that proves the heart of the nation can also be the heart of Indian cinema. It has arrived with purpose, pride, and promise.”
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