MUMBAI: The inaugural edition of the Mumbai Asian Film Festival (MAFF) 2026 concluded on November 1 after two days of international film screenings, award presentations and cultural interactions in Mumbai. The festival was organised at Barry John Acting Studio, Mumbai. The festival showcased 18 films from 11 countries, bringing together independent filmmakers, established artists and cinema enthusiasts to celebrate diverse storytelling and creative expression.
Acclaimed actor, writer and director Makarand Deshpande attended the opening ceremony as the Chief Guest. The festival also featured an experienced jury comprising national award filmmaker and writer Niraj Kumar Mishra, Humans in the Loop fame director Aranya Sahay and National Award-winning filmmaker Charitra Raj.
Organised on October 31 and November 1, MAFF presented films from India, Bangladesh, the Czech Republic, Spain, Thailand, Iran, the United States, the United Kingdom, China, Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates. The international selection reflected the festival’s commitment to independent cinema, cross-cultural storytelling and providing visibility to emerging creative voices.
Makarand Deshpande Opens the Festival as Chief Guest
The festival began with the presence of Makarand Deshpande as the Chief Guest at the opening ceremony. Widely recognised for his contributions to Indian theatre and cinema, Deshpande has established a distinctive identity as an actor, writer and director.
‘Mandali’ Opens the Festival’s Cinematic Journey
The festival commenced with Mandali, directed by Rakesh Chaturvedi Om, as its official opening film. Exploring themes of faith, power and society, the film established the tone for MAFF’s two-day programme.
Its selection reflected the festival’s interest in narratives that encourage audiences to engage with broader social and cultural realities while celebrating independent filmmaking.
18 Films from 11 Countries Celebrate International Cinema
The international selection was among the defining features of MAFF 2026. Featuring 18 films from 11 countries, the programme introduced audiences to different cultural backgrounds, social experiences and filmmaking approaches.
The participating countries included India, Bangladesh, the Czech Republic, Spain, Thailand, Iran, the United States, the United Kingdom, China, Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates.
The selection brought together socially relevant narratives, human-centred stories and culturally rooted perspectives. Through this international programme, MAFF aimed to encourage artistic collaboration, strengthen connections between Indian and international filmmakers and provide independent productions with greater visibility.
‘The Prayer’ Concludes the Festival
The concluding programme featured The Prayer, a 2024 Indian Hindi short film selected as the festival’s closing film.
Written and directed by Nivedita Pohankar, the film was produced by Makarand Deshpande under Mak World Films. It stars Aaditi S. Pohankar, Makarand Deshpande and Smita Jayakar.
The film brought together recognised creative personalities from Indian cinema and theatre. Its selection also created a meaningful connection between the opening and closing ceremonies, with Deshpande attending the opening as Chief Guest and being associated with the production of the closing film.
21 Awards Recognise Outstanding Filmmaking Achievements
MAFF 2026 presented 21 awards across writing, cinematography, editing, acting, direction and film categories, recognising Indian and international creative talent.
Among the notable winners, Sheng Heyun and Liu Fang received Best Cinematography for Assimilation, while Sandeep Raj received Best Writing and Best Director for Warranty.
The award recipients were:
Writing, Technical and Direction Categories
- Best Writing – Sandeep Raj (Warranty)
- Best Cinematography – Sheng Heyun and Liu Fang (Assimilation)
- Best Editing – Parth Kawale (Draupadi Se Draupadi Tak)
- Best Director – Sandeep Raj (Warranty)
- Best Debut Director – Dhananjay Nirmalaxman Sable (Dear Panther)
Acting Categories
- Best Actor Male – International Feature – Jishnu C J (Warranty)
- Best Actor Female – International Feature – Matcha Mosimann (In Harmony)
- Best Actor Male – Indian Feature – Appukutti (Piranthanaal Vazhthukal)
- Best Actor Female – Indian Feature – Swathi Sharma (Game of Song)
- Best Actor Male – International Short – Xu Feng (Nowhere To Place)
- Best Actor Female – International Short – Zhang Yanan (Assimilation)
- Best Actor Male – Indian Short – Rahul Phaltankar (Finger Ring)
- Best Actor Female – Indian Short – Preeti Panigrahi (Echoes)
- Best Actor Female – Indian Short – Vartika Tiwari (Draupadi Se Draupadi Tak)
Film and Special Recognition Categories
- Special Jury Award – Dear Panther
- Best Student Film – Draupadi Se Draupadi Tak
- Best International Short Film – Assimilation
- Best Indian Short Film – Echoes
- Best Indian Documentary – A Small Desire
- Best International Feature Film – In Harmony
- Best Indian Feature Film – Warranty
The awards acknowledged contributions across different filmmaking disciplines, highlighting the collaborative effort behind independent cinema.
The Team Behind Mumbai Asian Film Festival 2026
The inaugural edition of MAFF was brought together by a team of professionals with experience across filmmaking, festival management, international cinema, cultural initiatives and creative production.
The festival was co-founded by Smita Uchil and Kundan Kumaar, who helped shape its creative vision and strategic direction. Smita Uchil, also the co-founder of showtickets.asia, brings experience in large-scale live events and film distribution, including her association with the Singapore South Asian International Film Festival. Kundan Kumaar brings over eight years of experience in festival strategy and curation, having worked with platforms and institutions including Cannes Film Festival, IFFI Goa and NFDC.
Ashok Purang served as the Festival Director. An experienced theatre practitioner and creative producer, he is the founder-director of Pierrot’s Troupe and has also worked as the Creative Producer of the National Award-winning film Filmistaan. His experience spans theatre, cinema and international film festivals.
The festival was mentored by Subhransu Das, an Indian filmmaker, director and cinematographer known for his work on films such as The Last Color, Filmistaan and The Kashmir Files: Unreported. His directorial feature Pushkaraa received the 71st National Film Award for Best Odia Feature Film.
Namita Lal joined the festival as an advisor, bringing experience as an actor, producer and entrepreneur. A former international banker, she has worked across independent cinema and international film platforms, including Cannes and Marché du Film.
Another Festival Advisor, Hasan Naved, contributed his extensive experience in broadcast journalism, film festivals and event management. With over 18 years in the media industry, he has been associated with several international festivals, including the Dubai International Film Festival and European Union Film Festival Abu Dhabi.
Together, the team brought diverse professional perspectives and international industry experience to the festival’s first edition, supporting its vision of building a platform for Asian independent cinema.
MAFF’s Vision: Films, Culture and Connections
Built around the philosophy of Films, Culture and Connections, the Mumbai Asian Film Festival aims to bring filmmakers, artists, audiences and creative professionals together through cinema and cultural engagement.
The inaugural edition marked an important step towards establishing a platform for independent filmmaking, diverse narratives and international artistic exchange. Mumbai’s longstanding association with the Indian film industry provides a significant setting for this initiative.
By introducing audiences to international cinematic works and encouraging creative interactions, MAFF seeks to strengthen relationships between Indian and global filmmaking communities while creating opportunities for independent filmmakers to showcase their work.
About Mumbai Asian Film Festival (MAFF)
The Mumbai Asian Film Festival (MAFF) is a film and cultural platform dedicated to bringing together filmmakers, artists, audiences and creative professionals. Guided by the philosophy of Films, Culture and Connections, MAFF aims to celebrate independent filmmaking, encourage diverse storytelling and promote international cultural exchange through screenings, awards and creative interactions.
