The festival opened in the presence of key dignitaries, including Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra, Managing Director & CEO of Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation Suneel Anchipaka, and Festival Director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra. Conceived as a flagship initiative under the Delhi Government’s film policy, the festival positions itself at the intersection of culture, policy, and public engagement.
Organised by the Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation in association with the Government of Delhi, with KPMG as knowledge partner, IFFD is a week-long festival (March 25–31, 2026) showcasing Indian and international cinema through screenings, discussions, and industry engagements across multiple venues in New Delhi.
From the outset, the scale and energy have been unmistakable. Auditoriums have run at full capacity, red carpets have drawn constant crowds, and festival venues have remained abuzz with audiences, filmmakers, and industry professionals moving seamlessly between screenings and discussions. By the second day, the momentum had only intensified.
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A major driver of this response has been the festival’s diverse and high-profile screening lineup.
Extending beyond its primary venues, IFFD has partnered with PVR Cinemas across the city, screening select titles such as Three Weddings and One Escape, The Dupatta Killer, Draped in Silence, and Pyaasa. This outreach has broadened access, with strong footfall across locations, reinforcing the festival’s identity as a truly citywide event.
Evenings have added a celebratory dimension, with cultural programmes featuring live music and performances that bring audiences together in an informal, festive atmosphere. Complementing the screenings, a curated exhibition by Neville Tuli has attracted steady interest, offering a rare glimpse into cinema through archival material, memorabilia, and visual art, situating film within a broader cultural and historical framework.
At the heart of the festival, CineXChange has emerged as a dynamic hub for industry dialogue. Sessions over the first two days have explored themes ranging from artificial intelligence in filmmaking to the enduring influence of theatre on performance. Highlights included an interaction with Aamir Khan, curated sessions by Netflix on Mamla Legal Hai and Made in Korea, and masterclasses by leading practitioners.
In one of the standout sessions, Boman Irani explored the interplay between writing and performance, while casting director Mukesh Chhabra offered insights into the intuitive craft of casting. Sessions featuring Manoj Bajpayee and other industry voices drew consistently high participation, underscoring CineXChange as a space where craft meets conversation.
The festival has also brought in global perspectives, with Spanish actor Enrique Arce—known for Money Heist—sharing insights on cross-cultural storytelling. Meanwhile, discussions such as the Producers’ Chair session highlighted the growing influence of women in shaping creative and strategic decisions within the industry.
Another key session, Page to Screen: Producing & Directing Original Source Material, brought together filmmakers Nikkhil Advani, Abhishek Chaubey, R. S. Prasanna, and Siddharth Jain, moderated by Mayank Shekhar. The discussion explored originality, adaptation, and the evolving role of AI in storytelling, while emphasising the importance of retaining a human core in cinema.
What stands out across the festival is its commitment to diversity—spanning languages, regions, and formats, from mainstream premieres to conversations around regional industries such as Bhojpuri cinema. The ever-active red carpet continues to serve not just as a spectacle but as a bridge connecting creators and audiences.
As the opening days indicate, IFFD 2026 is not merely hosting screenings—it is shaping a citywide cultural movement where cinema is both celebrated at scale and made widely accessible. With strong audience engagement, high-profile participation, and forward-looking conversations, the festival has set an ambitious and inclusive tone for the days ahead.
