"It's a great start": Kapil Mishra highlights IFFD 2026 success, 'Dhurandhar 2' screening, strong participation

Speaking about the festival, he highlighted the strong response from audiences and the film industry. "For the first time, an International Film Festival has been held in Delhi. People from the film industry from across the country have come here, experts have come. Delhi's youth have received an experience through masterclasses and workshops that perhaps they have not had anywhere else before. I feel it's a great start, and in the future, this International Film Festival will become the identity of the country before the whole world," he said.

Referring to key screenings, he added, "The screening of 'Dhurandhar 2' is happening. And on March 31 at 10:30 am at Bharat Mandapam, the screening of 'Shatak' will also take place."

Headlined by Ranveer Singh, 'Dhurandhar: The Revenge' has already emerged as a major commercial success. Produced by Jio Studios and B62 Studios, the film features a multi-starrer cast including Sanjay Dutt, R. Madhavan, Rakesh Bedi and Arjun Rampal. Directed by National Award-winning filmmaker Aditya Dhar, the film released in theatres on March 19 and serves as a sequel to 'Dhurandhar' (2025), which was the highest-grossing Hindi film of that year.

Highlighting the scale of the event, Mishra said, "Both the Honorable Lieutenant Governor and the Chief Minister attended the 'Night of Honours'. We have also honoured selected films and artists from India and abroad."

He added, "Our biggest achievement is that for the first time, Delhi's youth got a chance for direct interaction with experts and celebrities from around the world. There were masterclasses and workshops, and three films selected here found their financiers and producers at the festival itself."

Mishra noted that the festival received over 2,000 entries, with screenings of more than 130 films. "Films in almost every Indian language have been screened here," he said.

Outlining the government's vision, he said, "We have signed several MoUs to make Delhi a hub for new alternative cinema technologies like AVGC, AI, and animation. It's a fantastic start, and we will continue to establish Delhi on the map of culture, art, and cinema."

He further added that such initiatives will become a regular feature. "Whether it's the International Film Festival or the Literature Festival, such events will become part of Delhi's annual calendar," he said.

Mishra reiterated that the festival is creating new opportunities for talent across sectors. "For artists, actors, and people working in camera, animation, AI, AVGC, and scriptwriting, this has given new exposure. We are working with the vision that Delhi becomes a hub for new technologies in cinema," he said.

He also noted the growing interest in new-age filmmaking tools, adding that discussions around AI have received a strong response at the festival.

The Night of Honours ceremony opened with Vande Mataram, followed by the national anthem, followed by lamp lighting and formal addresses, setting a tone that balanced tradition with celebration. As the evening unfolded, Anupam Kher delivered a poetic tribute to cinema that held the audience in rare stillness, while music by Ricky Kej elevated the atmosphere, building into a powerful closing performance. The evening concluded with a vote of thanks by Suneel Anchipaka, MD & CEO, DTTDC.

The honours reflected a wide spectrum of contemporary cinema. Festival Director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and Chairperson of the IFFD Preview Committee Sunit Tandon were felicitated, alongside a special acknowledgement of the delegation from the Singapore International Film Festival. Global recognition, including Enrique Arce, underscored the festival's growing international presence, while a tribute marking 50 years of 'Sholay' saw Ramesh Sippy honoured for his enduring contribution to Indian cinema, as per the press release.

Key film honours included Saiyaara (Yash Raj Films, directed by Mohit Suri) as Pathbreaking Film of the Year, Sitaare Zameen Par (directed by R. S. Prasanna) as Most Inspiring Film of the Year, and Tanvi The Great, which earned recognition for Best Direction (Anupam Kher) and Debut Actor (Shubhangi Dutt). Dhurandhar (Jio Studios) was recognised under PVR Best of 2025, with Ranveer Singh honoured as Best Actor and Aditya Dhar as Best Director. Additional recognition was given to Dimple Dugar for Contribution to Preservation of History through Cinema for Lokmati Devi Ahilyabai. (ANI)