Hindi
Good biopics can be made with good actors: Rakeysh Mehra
MUMBAI: He may be getting entirely positive response for the “biopic” he made on sprinter Milkha Singh’s life but filmmaker Rakeysh Omprkash Mehra believes that a film can’t be a biopic. He says that a film can always be an “inspired by a true life piece” which he believes even Bhaag Milkha Bhaag is as it isn’t telling the story of Singh from starting to end. “It’s rather telling the stories of his life that led him to become Milkha Singh,” said Mehra while talking during the session – “From Real Life Heroes to Reel Life Heroes: Biopics Inspiring Generations” on the first day of FICCI Frames 2014.
Also present at the session was Farhan Akhtar who has received rave reviews for his performance as Milkha Singh, while it was being anchored by CNN-IBN Entertainment Editor Rajeev Masand.
Mehra, when quizzed if filmmakers take certain liberties and tweak the life story while filming a biopic, he remarked: “When you tell a story, you have your own interpretation. Like in BMB, we didn’t follow Singh’s life in chronological order rather we started the story from an incident that would transform his life.” Mehra believes that storytellers have to be “morally” correct while telling stories.
While talking about the most important aspect of making a film on a person’s life, Farhan said that it is very important to come down to that one lesson of the person’s life from which the audiences can draw an inspiration. “The writing is another important aspect,” says Farhan.
In the same vein, Mehra says that it’s the actors, especially the one playing the title role who can put across the story in the best possible way. “It is important for the actors to get the feelings correct and the essence of the movie out,” he said.
Mehra, now wants to make a movie on the life of Guru Dutt and for the research he thinks that more than studying the life of the person, it is important to understand the situation in which that person lived and grew to become who he was. “It’s very important to understand the time in which the person lived,” said Mehra, adding that he is even studying the life of Sahir Ludhianvi.
Hindi
MIFF 2026 to return to Mumbai; film entries open till April 12
19th edition to host WAVES Doc Bazaar, spotlighting global documentary talent
MUMBAI: The 19th edition of the Mumbai International Film Festival 2026 is set to take place from June 15 to 21 at the NFDC Complex, with film submissions currently open and the deadline fast approaching on April 12.
Organised by the National Film Development Corporation under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the biennial festival remains one of South Asia’s most prominent platforms for documentary, short fiction and animation films.
Filmmakers, producers and content creators from across the globe have been invited to submit entries via the Film Freeway platform for the Competition Section. Offline submissions will not be accepted, reinforcing a fully digital entry process.
MIFF 2026 continues to sweeten the deal with a robust awards pool of Rs 55 lakh. The coveted Golden Conch for Best Documentary carries a top prize of Rs 10 lakh, alongside multiple awards across categories, making it one of the most lucrative non-feature film festivals in the region.
A key highlight this year will be the second edition of the WAVES Doc Bazaar, scheduled from June 16 to 18 alongside the festival. Designed as a hub for collaboration, the Doc Bazaar will feature a co-production market, viewing rooms and a work-in-progress lab, bringing together global buyers, sellers and creators under one roof.
Since its inception in 1990, MIFF has built a reputation as a serious showcase for non-feature cinema, drawing participation from filmmakers worldwide. The previous edition saw over 350 films from more than 30 countries, underlining its growing international footprint.
With submissions closing soon and preparations underway, MIFF 2026 is shaping up to be a vibrant meeting point for storytelling, collaboration and cinematic craft, offering filmmakers both a stage and a springboard.
