In what can be considered a setback to India’s film calendar, the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival has officially declared the cancellation of its 2025 edition. The 1997-founded festival that had traditionally been seen as a destination to celebrate Indian and international cinema will be taking a break this year while it gets a complete makeover.
The news was announced through a statement released by Festival Director Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, who mentioned that MAMI is currently repositioning its identity and operations. With a new team and new vision in place, the festival is likely to be back in 2026 with a new logo, revamped programming strategy, and a clearer emphasis on independent and local films.
“The team is working tirelessly to ensure that the new avatar of the festival reflects the evolving needs of Indian and global filmmakers. We want to return stronger and more relevant,” the statement read as per a post on X.
The Festival Director of MAMI Mumbai Film Festival, Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, makes an important announcement:#MAMI #MumbaiFilmFestival pic.twitter.com/c3Z1ZDwzxK
— MAMI Mumbai Film Festival (@MumbaiFilmFest) July 21, 2025
Industry Reacts with Disappointment
The move has sparked an outpouring of disappointment among the film industry. Renowned director Hansal Mehta used Instagram to vent frustration at the silence over the cancellation:
“It’s a cruel irony that the city considered the epicentre of cinema cannot sustain a film festival. No ceremony. No outrage. Just a slow, silent forgetting,” he wrote.
He also reiterated a wider gripe regarding institutional indifference towards spaces that value cinema as art over commerce:
“Another casualty of apathy dressed as progress.”
In a response to Hansal’s post, filmmaker Onir also voiced his dismay: “Heartbreaking that the industry that produces the largest number of films … failed to nurture this ine space that celebrated cinema as a form of art … beyond box office and stars ., what a loss for the city 💔 and a shame for us as an industry.”
From Financial Distress to Strategic Halt
The halt follows a string of troubled years. The 2024 event was a scaled-down affair, staged across limited sites and with fewer showings, after Jio dropped its sponsorship. Sources claim that funding deficiencies and organizational restructuring were key factors behind the cancellation of the 2025 event.
But there is another section of moviegoers and critics who believe that it is not the end but a deliberate move to “reboot” the festival. The 2026 event has the focus on presenting a richer, more diverse experience for audiences as well as filmmakers.
Though cancellation of 2025 is a disappointment, there is optimistic hope that this hiatus will enable MAMI to reinvent with purpose and intent. Whether the revamp will create renewed cultural significance for the festival remains to be witnessed—but cinephiles in Mumbai can expect to wait another year before India’s premier celebration of cinema is back in the city.
