Hindi
Indian cinema centenary celebrated in Bangkok
NEW DELHI: Ten feature films including Dadasaheb Phalke’s ‘Raja Harishchandra’ are being screened at a three-day Indian film festival which opened at Bangkok yesterday.
The first-ever Indian Centenary Film festival, which is being held at the SF Cinema, Central World, is to mark the Centenary of Indian Cinema. Similar Indian film festivals are being held in other parts of the world to celebrate the centenary of the world’s largest film industry.
The opening day saw the screening of Vishal Bharadwaj’s ‘Maqbool’ based on William Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’, a psychological and action-packed thriller. This film has been to many festivals, including Bangkok. It stars Irrfan Khan, Tabu, Naseeruddin Shah and Om Puri among others.
The restored version of the first indigenous feature film to be made in India, ‘Raja Harishchandra’ which is still incomplete as many reels are missing, was also screened.
Other films include cine craftsman Satyajit Ray’s ode to music ‘Jalsaghar’, the rarely seen 1946 movie ‘Dr Kotnis ki Amar Kahani’ by V Shantaram based on the life of Dwarkanath Kotnis, an Indian doctor who worked in China during the Japanese invasion in World War II, Rajesh Khanna-starrer ‘Anand’, Dev Anand-starrer ‘Guide’, ‘Hum Dil De Chuke sanam’ by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, and the new-age Bollywood film ‘Corporate’ by Madhur Bhandarkar.
In addition, there are two regional films – Girish Kassarvalli’s Kannada film ‘Gulabi Talkies’ and ‘Kannathil Muthamittal’ in Tamil by Mani Ratnam.
At a press meet prior to the Festival, the Indian Embassy confessed it had been a tough task selecting just ten films “to reflect the diversity of the country.” Indian Ambassador Anil Wadhwa was the chief guest.
The press meet was attended by top Thai directors like Nonzee Nimibutr and Prachya Pinkaew, as well as young indie director Choyanop Boonprakob, and actress Ae Maneerat Khamoun, all diehard lovers of Indian cinema.
Suvanee Chinchiewchan of the SF Cinema group which organised the festival was excited about holding the first-even Indian film festival in the city, and hoped the trend would continue.
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.
