Mumbai Film Festival Skips 2025 Edition as Organizers Plan Major Overhaul Amid Funding, Leadership Struggles

India’s beloved Mumbai Film Festival, which has long been a home for independent and regional filmmakers, will not hold its 2025 edition. Organisers say the pause is to allow for a complete restructuring and a fresh start in 2026.

Festival director Shivendra Singh Dungarpur announced on Monday via X (formerly Twitter) that the Mumbai Academy of Moving Image (MAMI) is “revamping the festival with a dynamic vision and a new team.” The goal, he explained, is to bring the festival back stronger in 2026, with a broader, more inclusive lineup of Indian and global films.

This development marks yet another setback for the iconic event, which has faced a series of financial and operational challenges since its inception in 1997. After losing key sponsors, including Reliance Entertainment and American Express, in the early 2010s, the festival was on the verge of shutting down until a crowdfunding campaign led by Bollywood celebrities revived it.

MAMI later secured new corporate backers, including Reliance Jio and Star India, and made a comeback in 2015. However, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the festival into a three-year hiatus, and when it returned in 2023, it did so with a leaner team and fewer resources. The 2024 edition was similarly reduced after Reliance Jio pulled out as title sponsor.

The announcement has sparked frustration and sadness among members of India’s film community. Acclaimed director Hansal Mehta expressed disappointment, saying the festival’s quiet pause reflects how culture is increasingly neglected. “What should have been a cultural cornerstone has been reduced to a footnote,” he wrote on X.

Filmmaker Praveen Morchhale echoed the sentiment, calling it a “paradox” that a city known for its wealth, cinema stars, and international influence cannot sustain its film festival.

For now, the film community waits to see what the festival’s promised rebirth in 2026 will look like and whether it will regain its place as a vital space for storytellers who often have no other stage.

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