Our Bureau
Mumbai
The inaugural day of FICCI Frames 2025, Asia’s largest convention on Media & Entertainment in Mumbai saw an insightful conversation on “Bollywood’s Narrative Reset: Storytelling at a Crossroads”, with a big guns panel consisting of noted filmmakers Rahul Mittra, Shoojit Sircar, Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari and Ram Madhvani, discussing how Indian cinema is breaking new ground. From realistic movies to blockbuster spectacles, the discussion steered through the conflict between artistic expression and commercial success.
Speaking at the silver jubilee edition of FICCI Frames 2025, well-known Filmmaker, Actor & Branding Expert Rahul Mittra said that the audiences’ palate is changing fast as they have became smarter than before & stressed on the need for rooted storytelling & authentic characterisation. He shared his incredible journey from a journalist to a branding professional to a filmmaker, driven by his strong desire for his voice to be heard and engage in powerful storytelling that resonated with his small town roots. He also told the young filmmakers & actors to get out of their comfort zone and follow their passion with vigour.
Acclaimed director Shoojit Sirkar Called out the need to rethink Independent Film Distribution and felt that not all films are meant for every screen. He shared deep insights about the contrasting journeys of independent films versus mainstream populist cinema, and the urgent need to rethink how we distribute and showcase the former.
Filmmaker Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari struck a personal and poignant chord on the evolving landscape of Indian storytelling. Acknowledging the shifting habits of audiences, she emphasized on the emotional nourishment that cinema can offer by way of storytelling that is intimate, subtle, and soul-stirring.She also expressed her eagerness to watch Kantara Chapter 1 in the theater. For someone rooted in storytelling, the acclaimed Neerja director Ram Madhvani expressed his excitement for technology & Artificial Intelligence in modern filmmaking .
Madhvani also pointed out that the word technology comes from the Greek word techne, which means art & hence all technology is meant to liberate art. Popular film critic & Head of Programming for Fever FM Mumbai Stutee Ghosh moderated this highly engaging session comprising of such an inspiring panel.
