Mani Ratnam Masterclass Highlights :The Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2023

 The Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2023 recently hosted a Masterclass featuring renowned filmmaker Mani Ratnam in conversation with director Imtiaz Ali. Mani Ratnam, a celebrated figure with a four-decade-long career, shared insights into his creative process and filmmaking journey. During the event, he was honored with the MAMI Excellence in Cinema Award (South Asia) for his remarkable contributions to the world of cinema.

Mani Ratnam, known for his versatility in exploring various genres, discussed his early influences and how he finds stories in everyday life experiences. He emphasized that the story leads all other aspects of filmmaking, from casting to language and setting. His creative process involves multiple roles, including writing, directing, and editing, each with its unique approach.

Ratnam also highlighted the importance of working with diverse talents, including his encounter with music maestro AR Rahman. He stressed the significance of learning from failures and adapting to audience preferences. He mentioned that filmmaking becomes more enjoyable when actors contribute creatively to the process.

The Masterclass was well-received by cinema enthusiasts, directors, actors, writers, and cinematographers, providing an opportunity to interact with the accomplished filmmaker. Additionally, Mani Ratnam's recent blockbusters, Ponniyin Selvan part I and II, were screened at the festival.

Mani Ratnam's body of work is characterized by intimate character portrayals, exploration of societal and cultural contexts, and nuanced themes. His notable films include "Pallavi Anupallavi," "Mouna Ragam," "Nayakan," "Roja," "Bombay," "Iruvar," "Alaipayuthey," "Kannathil Muthamittal," and "Guru." He has received accolades such as the Padma Shri and the Jaeger-LeCoultre Glory to the Filmmaker Award at the Venice Film Festival.

The Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival, the most prestigious South Asian Film Festival, has returned after three years and features screenings and events at eight venues across Mumbai from October 27 to November 5, 2023. The festival actively fosters a cinematic ecosystem for voices from the region and beyond.

Photo Gallery: Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival's Grand Opening Ceremony

 

Vijay Verma

Vidhu Vinod Chopra

Tannishtha Chatterjee, Guneet Monga and Amit Sial 

Tahira Kashyap Khurrana 

Sunny Leone

Sunny Kaushal 

Sonam Kapoor Ahuja 

Sobhita Dhulipala 

Siddharth Roy Kapur 

Shriya Pilgoankar and Saiee Manjrekar 

Shanaya Kapoor 

Shabana Azmi

Sanya Malhotra

Saif Ali Khan

Riteish Deshmukh 

Richa Chada and Ali Fazal

Priyanka Chopra 

Karishma Kapoor

Sharvari Wajh and Karan Johar

Jim Sarbh

Ekta Kapoor

Babil Khan

Tara Sutaria

Rajkummar Rao and Patralekha 

Ishaan Khatter 

Bhumi Pednekar

Aditi Rao Hydari

Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival's Grand Opening Ceremony

The Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival, renowned as the world's premier South Asian film festival, marked its triumphant return with a spectacular on-ground opening ceremony. The festival, held at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC) in Mumbai, featured an impressive gathering of both international and South Asian talents, including luminaries such as Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Mira Nair, Luca Guadagnino, Kamal Haasan, Mani Ratnam, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Sonam Kapoor, and more. 

The event was graced by Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Chairperson of the Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival, and Isha Ambani, Executive Director of Reliance Retail Ventures Limited and Director of Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited. The opening ceremony introduced a meticulously curated lineup of over 250 films spanning ten days, from October 27 to November 5, boasting an impressive 40 World Premieres, 45 Asia Premieres, and more than 70 South Asia Premieres. Notably, this edition saw a record-breaking submission of over 1,000 films for the South Asia program.

The evening commenced with the prestigious Excellence in Cinema Award, presented to internationally acclaimed directors Mani Ratnam and Luca Guadagnino for their substantial contributions to the world of film. These awards were presented by Kamal Haasan and Priyanka Chopra Jonas. 

The festival's South Asia Competition features a distinguished jury, headed by Academy Award-nominated director Mira Nair, along with esteemed members David Michod, Isabel Sandoval, and Edouard Waintrop.

Bhumi Pednekar, the brand ambassador for Dimensions Mumbai, awarded the winners of the short film competition centered on the theme of Mumbai City. The winners were joined by Dimensions Jury members Shahana Goswani, Anvitaa Dutt, and Shriya Pilgaonkar.

Sonam Kapoor, brand ambassador for Word To Screen, honored the Book on Cinema award recipient, Prakash Magdum, for "Mahatma on Celluloid: A Cinematic Biography." Word to Screen is an innovative platform offered by the Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival, facilitating collaboration between writers, publishers, and filmmakers to adapt stories into various film formats.

The festival paid tribute to legendary figures in the film industry, presenting them with Lifetime Achievement Awards. The esteemed honorees included Aruna Vasudev, Nasreen Munni Kabir, and Uma da Cunha. These awards were presented by Marco Muller, Karan Johar, and Adoor Gopalakrishnan, respectively.

The Royal Stag Barrel Select Large Short Films awards celebrated outstanding short films, with "Summer of Soul" by Sanjib Gogoi being named the Best Film, and James Elia from the film "Vakuppu (The Clause)" winning the Best Actor award.

For the first time in India, Jio MAMI partnered with IMDb to establish a portrait studio that attracted stars like Kareena Kapoor Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Sonam Kapoor, and Mira Nair. Additionally, this year's festival introduced the IMDb Audience Choice Award, which will honor the most popular title with a cash prize of 15 lacs for the winning filmmaker.

The opening ceremony featured the presence of festival partners, including Jio, Reliance Foundation, PVR Inox, Turkish Airlines, Film AlUla, NEOM, IMDb, and Royal Stag.

Anupama Chopra, Festival Director, concluded the opening ceremony by acknowledging the Young Critic Award winner, Diya Mathur. The evening was hosted by Neha Dhupia.

To cap off the event, the festival treated its audience to the South Asia premiere of "The Buckingham Murders," starring Kareena Kapoor Khan, directed by Hansal Mehta, and produced by Ektaa Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor Khan.

The Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival promises ten days of cinematic enchantment and the celebration of film's finest, making it a must-attend event for film enthusiasts and industry professionals.