Mumbai’s rich cinematic heritage was celebrated through a special public programme titled Celebrating Mumbai – A UNESCO Creative City of Film, organised by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in collaboration with the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) at the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), Mumbai. The event highlighted Mumbai’s longstanding position as the film capital of India and its distinction as the country’s only UNESCO City of Film. It was presented alongside the ongoing exhibition Lens and Legacy: Cinema in Focus, featuring iconic Hindi and Marathi film posters curated by noted film historian and archivist S.M.M. Ausaja.
Bringing together filmmakers, artists, animators, educators, cultural practitioners and cinema enthusiasts, the programme featured screenings, workshops, discussions and performances spread across multiple days. A key attraction was the Marathi Chalchitrapat Weekend, held on May 30 and 31, 2026, which celebrated the richness of Marathi cinema and contemporary storytelling.
The special segment showcased acclaimed Marathi films including Sthal, Baapya, Maay Bapache Aashirvad and Tighee. The screenings were accompanied by engaging conversations with filmmakers and actors such as Rajshri Deshpande, Jayant Somalkar and Sonali Kulkarni.
Award-winning actor Rajshri Deshpande, who attended the screening of her film Baapya, said, “This is a great initiative and I am very thankful for my film being shown at the Marathi Cinema programme. The collaboration between BMC and UNESCO celebrating Mumbai as a city of films is a great opportunity for our industry to celebrate our talent from across the country.”
Sthal director Jayant Somalkar expressed his appreciation for the initiative, saying, “Since Mumbai is the birthplace of Indian cinema and to celebrate movies from all over the country especially Marathi cinema is a great initiative. And we are thankful for being able to showcase our film Sthal at the event and wish many more collaborations in the the coming years.”
Director, producer and actor Shefali Bhushan also praised the effort. She said, “It’s a great initiative because Mumbai is a city of cinema. And having a Marathi cinema weekend is icing on the cake as Mumbai is in Maharashtra, and Marathi cinema is known for its powerful storytelling. We hope that it will continue and keep rising to greater heights. We are grateful to be invited to present our film here. More power to this initiative.”
Speaking about the significance of the event, Mrs. Shashi Bala, Chief Business Development Officer, BMC, said, “Marathi cinema has long been the heartbeat of Mumbai’s cultural imagination, bold, humane, and unafraid to experiment. As a UNESCO Creative City of Film, Mumbai is committed to nurturing that spirit and showcasing the contemporary voices shaping our stories today. The Marathi Cinema Weekend at NGMA Mumbai brings filmmakers, artists, and audiences together in a space of discovery and dialogue, celebrating the craft, the language, and the city that inspires it.”
Senior curator and film critic Meenakshi Shedde lauded the collaboration and said, “I would really like to congratulate the entire team behind this amazing event Shashi Bala, BMC’s Chief Business Development Officer, Nidhi Choudhury, who is Director of the NGMA, the National Gallery of Modern Art, and Anupama Bose, for coming up with this deep and landmark collaboration between the BMC, NGMA and the UNESCO Creative Cities of Film.”
The programme opened with a ceremonial lamp-lighting ceremony attended by Mumbai Mayor Smt. Ritu Tawde and several distinguished guests.
In her inaugural address, Smt. Ritu Tawde said, “Mumbai’s identity has always been shaped by its openness and creativity. It is a city that allows people to dream beyond boundaries and offers opportunities to fulfil those dreams. Through cinema, generations of artists, musicians, filmmakers, technicians and storytellers have found not only a platform for expression but also meaningful livelihoods. This spirit of inclusion is what makes Mumbai truly special.”
Through Celebrating Mumbai – A UNESCO Creative City of Film, the BMC-UCCN initiative continues to recognise Mumbai as more than just a backdrop for cinema. The programme underscores the city’s role as a vibrant cultural force that inspires storytelling, preserves artistic legacy and nurtures future generations of creators.
Open to the public, the event invited audiences of all ages to reconnect with Mumbai through its films, memories, music, movement and stories, further strengthening the city’s position as one of the world’s most significant creative hubs.