Mumbai Marathi Film Fest Opens Nov 15; Proceeds to Drought Relief

Mumbai, October 26

Mumbai is preparing to host the second edition of the Chitrapataka Marathi Film Festival, with 41 films scheduled for screening from November 15 to 18, 2026. The festival will take place at the Ravindra Natya Mandir in the PL Deshpande Maharashtra Kala Academy, Prabhadevi.

Maharashtra Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar made the announcement at a press conference on Monday. The festival is being run by the Maharashtra Film, Stage and Cultural Development Corporation under the guidance of the state Cultural Affairs Department.

Shelar said the festival was started last year to give Marathi films with strong content a stage of international standard. He noted that the first edition drew an excellent response from viewers and that the momentum should be maintained to showcase the cultural and artistic value of Marathi cinema.

The festival is also intended to bring together filmmakers, media professionals, scholars and cinema lovers for meaningful discussion, the minister said.

Of the 41 films being screened, five are classic Marathi films. The remaining 36 include new releases, films praised at various festivals, works awarded at state, national and international levels, experimental cinema, and films yet to be released.

In a significant decision, Shelar announced that all earnings from the festival will be donated to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund in view of the drought conditions across the state. The event will be organised without unnecessary show or waste, with the focus kept firmly on the art of filmmaking. The registration fee for all four days is Rs 100 per person.

Swati Mhase-Patil, Managing Director of the Corporation, said more than 2,000 people had registered for the first edition, and nearly 7,500 attended.

The programme will include five panel discussions, five special interviews and five masterclasses alongside the film screenings. An exhibition at the venue will depict the journey of Marathi cinema over more than a hundred years, as well as the golden jubilee of Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagari.

This year's major highlight is the 'Book to Screen' initiative, which will provide Marathi authors and publishers an opportunity to speak with filmmakers. A short film competition, 'Maharashtra Through the Eyes of Youth', will also be held.