Since the news report of the annual Mumbai Film Festivals’
prospectively being called off, the viral campaign to save the festival started
on social media has gained tremendous momentum. The Mumbai Academy of Moving
Image (MAMI) that organizes the annual Mumbai film festival, has found
supporters in Cinestaan Film Company, promoted by Anand Mahindra and Rohit
Khattar who have committed Rs.60 Lakhs.
“Anand (Mahindra) & I believe that a Festival as
important as this should not belong to one Sponsor or Studio. As the youngest
Film Studio, we would appeal to the larger Studios, Production Houses and, in
fact, to all film lovers in Mumbai to take joint ownership. This is OUR
Festival and even the smallest contribution would help fulfill our mission. The
Mumbai Film Festival has become an integral part of our cinema heritage and as
an industry we need to come together to raise it to new heights and nurture it
together. "Said Rohit Khattar, Chairman, Cinestaan Film Company,
The industry at large has pledged their support in ensuring
the 16th edition of the Mumbai Film Festival will yet again be marked on the
regions cultural and festival calendar. Well known producer-directors Vidhu
Vinod Chopra, Rajkumar Hirani, producers Manish Mundra, Vivek Kajaria and
Nilesh Navlakha, director Hansal Mehta and noted author and critic Anupama
Chopra amongst numerous others have turned guardian angels for the festival. Since
the campaign’s commencement on Social Media on Saturday, the campaign
#pledge4MAMI has raised close to Rupees 1.5 crore of the 5 crore budget from
the mentioned industry professionals.
Speaking on these developments, festival director, Mr. Srinivasan
Narayan said, “I am extremely happy and humbled with the response that we have
been getting from the film industry and film lovers in the city at large. We
are delighted and grateful to Cinestaan Film Company, Anand Mahindra, Rohit
Khattar and Manish Mundra for their generous contribution. Also we are
extremely thankful to Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Anupama Chopra, Vivek Kajaria and
others for ensuring that the festival rises like a Phoenix. Today for the first
time ever it truly feels that the Mumbai Film Festival belongs to the patrons
and lovers of the festival. I thank each and every one of those who strive to
ensure that the festival continues to present the best of World cinema to our
Indian audiences”
The Mumbai Film Festival is organized by Mumbai Academy of
Moving Image (MAMI) - a Trust comprised of Indian film industry stalwarts, was
founded in 1997 by late filmmaker Shri Hrishikesh Mukherjee. Noted filmmaker
Shri Shyam Benegal heads the body that consists of film directors including:
Veteran film maker Ramesh Sippy, Director Sudhir Mishra, young directors Karan
Johar, Anurag Kashyap, Umesh Kulkarni, Kiran Rao, Vikramaditya Motwane and
Farhan Akhtar, publisher Navin Berry and producer-director-lyricist Amit
Khanna.
To contribute, please visit www.mumbaifilmfest.org/pledge.
To contribute via cheque, please write to director@mumbaifilmfest.com. The
cheque will be collected by a festival representative. All donations to Mumbai
Film Festival is covered under the 80G of the income tax act.
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