The MAMI Mumbai Film Festival, a fixture in the city’s cultural calendar for nearly 30 years, won’t be held in 2025. Organisers made the announcement on Monday morning, stating that the festival is taking a break and will return in 2026 with a new and updated format.
The MAMI Mumbai Film Festival was launched in 1997 by the Mumbai Academy of Moving Image (MAMI), a public trust rooted in the city. Over the years, it attracted support from notable film personalities — Aamir Khan contributed financially, while Priyanka Chopra and Kiran Rao each took on the role of Chairperson. In 2023, Jio served as the festival’s title sponsor, but withdrew the following year. Shivendra Singh Dungarpur assumed the role of Festival Director in 2024, following the departure of Anupama Chopra. That year’s edition of the festival was notably scaled down compared to previous years.
Festival Director Shivendra Singh Dungarpur on Monday morning stated, “This is to inform you that the 2025 edition of MAMI Mumbai Film Festival will not take place as we are in the process of revamping the festival with a dynamic vision and a new team to ensure that the festival returns as a premier showcase for the best of independent, regional and classic cinema from India and around the world.”
The statement further read, “We are working diligently to reschedule the festival and will announce the new dates for the 2026 edition as soon as possible. Thank you for your understanding and support,” as per Hindustan Times.
Soon after the announcement, Hansal Mehta took to X to react to this uncalled nemesis of the festival, that has pathways for millions for three decades. He mentioned it a ‘cruel irony.’ He wrote, “It’s a cruel irony that Mumbai draped in the glitz of being India’s financial and cinematic capital cannot keep alive a film festival of its own. Abandoned by the self-appointed gatekeepers of cinema who chased shinier stages and safer bets it was left in the hands of a few…”
