YathaKatha Film and Literature Festival Opens with Angels of Mumbai Panel on Storytelling for Change

The fourth edition of the YathaKatha International Film and Literature Festival (YKIFLF) opened to an enthusiastic crowd on November 6 at the Usha Pravin Gandhi College of Arts, Science and Commerce (UPG), Vile Parle. Hosted by YathaKatha Private Limited, the four-day festival was an engaging celebration of literature and cinema.

The inaugural ceremony was graced by Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil (Crown Prince of Rajpipla and LGBTQ+ Activist), actors Vibha Chibber, Ragini Khanna, Ayyaz Ahmed, and Mahesh Thakur, along with Dr Jayant Gandhi (Trustee, UPG College), Dr Anju Kapoor (Principal, UPG College), and festival founder Charu Sharma. The dignitaries jointly unveiled the poster for the fourth edition.

“UPG college has always believed in nurturing young minds through real-world exposure and creative exploration. Partnering with the Yatha Katha International Film and Literature Festival allows our students to experience the magic of cinema and storytelling firsthand, and to learn from some of the most brilliant creative voices from around the world,” shared Dr. Jayant Gandhi, Trustee, UPG College.

The festival featured a series of insightful panel discussions, including The Art of Film Editing: Crafting Rhythm & Emotion by Sushant Kamble, Rupa Jyotsna Shukla, Rajeev Thakre, and Rakesh Bhoir; Bollywood vs The World: Different Stories, Same Emotions by Rafael Stemplewski (filmmaker), Sarah Stratton (actress), and Raj Amit Kumar; From Literary to Bollywood – How Writers Adapt Themselves from Story to Screen by Azeem Uddin, Meghna Pant, and Pankaj Dubey; The Future of Independent Filmmaking in the Age of Streaming by Sidharth M Jain and Bipassha Sarangii; and Snap Your Fingers: A Poetry Reading Session by Anju Makhija, Sonali Rasal, Akhil Katyal, and Gayatri Lakhiani, among others.

“At UPG college, we believe that true learning happens when students immerse themselves in experiences that inspire, challenge, and transform. Co-hosting the Yatha Katha International Film and Literature Festival brings that spirit alive — giving our students the chance to meet creative minds from across the world and discover new perspectives on storytelling and life,” shared Dr Anju Kapoor, Principal, UPG College.

Screenings of films from across the world were also held over the four days, giving audiences a chance to experience a wide range of cinematic styles and themes. Some of the featured films included Knot (India), directed by Abhay Parveen Gupta; Rose de Chine 凉风抚心 (China), directed by Hugo Boué; Lord's Signal (India), directed by Dhruv Pandav and Charanpal Singh; Singh & Sinha, directed by Dr Mohan Das; Anmol Virasat (Jainism in Tamil Nadu) (India), directed by Usha Abhaya Kumar and Dr Harish L Metha; Retour à Pondicherry, directed by Raghunath Manet; Tanpopo (Taiwan), directed by Chih-Chung Wang; The Deep Dive (USA), directed by Blair Murphy, among others. 

Programme coordinator Ashish Mehta added, “It’s an absolute honour for the Department of Film, Television and New Media at UPG College to co-host the Yatha Katha International Film and Literature Festival. This collaboration not only brings global artists, filmmakers, and writers to our campus but also provides our students with a rare opportunity to learn, engage, and be inspired by the creative minds shaping contemporary cinema and literature.”

As the outreach partner of this multifaceted festival, The Free Press Journal also hosted a special panel discussion titled Storytelling for Good: How Real Stories Inspire – Experiences from The Free Press Journal's Angels of Mumbai Project. The panel featured Dr Chinuu Kwatra, Founder of Khushiyaan Foundation, and Rohit Kumar, Founder and CEO of Apni Shala Foundation, who spoke about how stories of compassion, courage, and change can spark movements. The discussion, moderated by journalist and author Kavitha Iyer, explored how authentic storytelling can inspire action and shift mindsets.

Panellist Dr Kwatra, who began his social media journey during a period of personal crisis, decided to channel his experiences into something larger. He realised that even small acts of kindness could inspire others if shared widely. “I thought, why not take it forward — put out my voice and show whatever I’m doing, no matter how big or small, so that more people can get involved,” he said. He hoped that by sharing his work online, others like him who wanted to contribute to the social sector but didn’t know where to begin would find inspiration — and, in the process, he would also find volunteers to join his efforts.

The Thane resident is a passionate changemaker who has worked on cleaning Mumbai’s beaches through his ‘Beach Warriors’ initiative; and his ‘Roti Ghar’ provides nutritious meals to children in need. ‘Oceans Under Siege’, a short documentary about his Dadar-based beach-cleanup work, was one of the films screened at the Cannes Film Festival’s Positive Cinema Week in 2025. 

Panellist Rohit Kumar’s Apni Shala Foundation runs a School SEL Programme (social and emotional learning), working with students, educators, parents, and the wider school community explained that the true understanding begins when people recognise the complexities of young people’s lives, especially those entering schools from economically challenged backgrounds. “It’s not just about a lack of money,” he said. “It’s a lack of dignity, a lack of belonging, and a lack of systems of support — all of it.”

Apni Shala’s Khoj School is an SEL-integrated school that uses a holistic educational model focusing on students' psychosocial wellbeing, incorporating counselling, mindfulness and inclusion practices to empower students and families. Apni Shala's first official picturebook Sakina Ki Shala was recently launched on Pratham Books' StoryWeaver platform. 

“The book is a representational voice, but there were many children’s voices. It is to give a glimpse of how and what the students feel about the school, their classes, and in life,” shared Kumar, explaining the essence of the work and importance of storytelling in general. The book is an innovative narration of students’ and teachers’ commitment to  learning and growth as they experienced at Khoj.

Published on: Friday, November 07, 2025, 04:18 PM IST