Lights, Camera, Action: National Students' Film Festival 2026 Concludes At Mumbai University's Kalina Campus

The National Student’s Film Festival 2026 (NSFF 2026) was successfully held on February 28 and March 1 at Mumbai university's Kalina Campus. It was organized jointly by Rashtriya Kala Manch (RKM), Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), and Vidyarthi Nidhi Trust .

Dignitaries Inaugurate Festival

The festival was inaugurated in the presence of director Ravi Udyawar, welcome committee secretary Raj Kamble, ABVP national secretary Payal Kinake, RKM Coordinator Abhinav Deep and NSFF Organizer Soumya Chawre.

Following the inauguration, a jury briefing session was organized, where personalities, including writer Nidhi Singh Dharma, screenwriter Amarnath Jha, music director Rahul Suhas, national award-winning directors Neeraj Kumar Mishra and Vandita Chakradev, and director Vishal Chaturvedi guided the participants. They shared insights on the evolving role of media, changing dynamics of the film industry, and the societal importance of cinema, encouraging young filmmakers to embrace innovative thinking, responsible storytelling, and creative courage.

30 Films Screened

A total of 30 films were shortlisted for the festival, representing diverse themes, genres, and languages, all of which were screened over the two days. During the festival, four masterclasses were conducted by industry experts. Abhijeet Deshpande, writer and editor, provided guidance on storytelling and screenplay writing. Sudip Lahiri, head of Collective Media, discussed new technologies and innovative experiments in filmmaking. Kedar Gaikwad, writer and cinematographer, delivered detailed lectures on cinematography, editing, and sound. V. N. Aditya, writer and director in the Telugu film industry, shared his thoughts on film ethics, future cinema, and its social impact.

A special panel discussion was also organized during the festival, where filmmaker Pooja Kadam and producer Avinash Tripathi discussed “AI and the Future of Indian Cinema” exploring the growing role of artificial intelligence in filmmaking, its benefits, and potential impacts. The festival concluded with a grand valedictory ceremony, attended by Maharshi Shah, Creative Director of Birla Studios, as the chief guest. Other distinguished attendees included ABVP National Organization Minister Ashish Chauhan, Chairman of Film Development Authority Tarun Rathi, RKM Head Ankita Shukla, and Director of Student Welfare, University of Mumbai, Sunil Patil. The dignitaries praised young filmmakers for their work and encouraged them to create more high-quality and impactful films in the future.

Awards Announced

The award ceremony added vibrancy to the event, with Panpankh receiving the Best Film Award, Songti and Seize receiving the Special Jury Award, Sanjha Kua winning Best Music Award, Riha receiving Best Editing Award, Baap Re Baap receiving Best Young Director Award, and The Queue being honored with Best Promising Voice Award.

In his address, Maharshi Shah emphasized that young filmmakers should first study and gain experience from all Indian cinema, drawing inspiration to develop their own creative work, which will enrich their artistic perspective.

Ankita Shukla said that Rashtriya Kala Manch connects every artist through the ‘Triple P Concept’ Passion, Platform, and Purpose.

Tarun Rathi added that the real strength of cinema always rests on three things Unique Concept, Unique Character, and Unique Scene.

Ashish Chauhan ji highlighted the importance of perseverance in one’s craft, saying that until one is relentless in their art, they cannot establish their identity.

Finally, Soumya Chawre expressed her gratitude, and the festival concluded with the singing of Sampurna Vande Mataram.

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