PNN
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], October 26: Whistling Woods International (WWI) hosted the 14th version of Celebrate Cinema ’26 from October 7 to 9, centred on the theme ‘Impact of Big Screen Cinema’. The three-day, open-to-all pageant introduced collectively over 4,000 college students, business professionals and inventive minds to discover cinema’s cultural affect, evolving applied sciences and energy to unite audiences.
– Brought collectively over 4,000 college students, celebrated filmmakers, business veterans and main voices from Google, Adobe, Sony Pictures and Warner Bros. Discovery, the pageant explored the enduring magic of big-screen cinema, its evolving future and paid heartfelt tribute to veteran actors Shri Dharmendra and Nana Patekar
The pageant opened with Aamir Khan, Aparna Purohit and the Sitaare Zameen Par group discussing storytelling, audiences and the theatrical expertise. Khan mentioned, “I always look forward to coming to Whistling Woods because the energy of the students is remarkable. You have built an institution that has given countless youngsters the opportunity to learn cinema and pursue their passion.”
Across three days, over 15 business consultants participated in discussions, alongside eight-plus masterclasses and greater than 50 workshops. Speakers included Hema Malini; Aamir Khan; Aparna Purohit; Imtiaz Ali; Rana Daggubati; Jyoti Deshpande, President, Jio Studios and producer of Dhurandhar; Komal Nahta; Siddharth Roy Kapur; Sriram Raghavan; Abhinay Deo; Divy Nidhi Sharma; R.S. Prasanna; Rajesh Mapuskar; Shony Panjikaran of Sony Pictures; Sanjay Pisharody of Warner Bros. Discovery; and consultants from Google, Adobe, InVideo and Neural Garage.
Sessions explored world theatrical distribution by way of Spider-Man and The Odyssey, the making of the Dhurandhar movies, and AI’s transformation of filmed leisure. Workshops coated AI Short Filmmaking powered by Adobe Firefly, Creative Cloud and AI, modifying, VFX compositing, color grading, screenwriting, manufacturing design, animation, pictures, appearing, sound, music manufacturing, artistic promoting, lensing and lighting.
The Immersive Studio showcased interactive installations that includes VR, movement seize, projection mapping, interactive video games, generative visuals and real-time transformations, demonstrating how expertise is reshaping artistic experiences.
Actor and entrepreneur Rana Daggubati mirrored on cinema’s unifying energy: “The cinema theatre was one place where it didn’t matter who you were, your caste, creed or anything else. That’s what cinema meant to me, and that ability to bring people together is what makes it so powerful.”
A shifting spotlight of the pageant was the heartfelt tribute to veteran actor Shri Dharmendra, that includes Hema Malini, Subhash Ghai and Salim Arif. Hema Malini acknowledged Whistling Woods International’s contribution to nurturing younger filmmaking expertise and spoke warmly of Subhash Ghai’s imaginative and prescient in establishing an establishment devoted to cinema and its future.
The tribute featured an audiovisual presentation created by WWI college students, celebrating Dharmendra Ji’s unforgettable contribution to Indian cinema. In a big gesture to honour his legacy, Ashish Shelar, Maharashtra’s Minister of Cultural Affairs, introduced mid-term scholarships in Dharmendra Ji’s title for academically excelling WWI college students.
Subhash Ghai, Founder and Chairman, WWI, mentioned: “For me, cinema has always been about the magic of telling a story that touches the heart. When the lights go off in a theatre, and the story unfolds on the big screen, hundreds of people laugh, cry, and feel together. That is the power of cinema. Technology will keep changing, and we must embrace it, but the heart of filmmaking will always remain the story and the emotion behind it. Through Celebrate Cinema, I want our young filmmakers to learn this craft, find their own voice and create stories that audiences will want to experience on the big screen.”
The pageant concluded with filmmaker Imtiaz Ali in dialog with Subhash Ghai. Expressing his appreciation for WWI and its college students, Ali spoke concerning the institute’s vibrant artistic power and the keenness of its younger expertise. He additionally acknowledged Ghai’s imaginative and prescient in making a platform that brings aspiring filmmakers nearer to the craft of cinema and the individuals who form it. Ali’s interplay bolstered the significance of nurturing creativity, encouraging younger storytellers and preserving the emotional energy of cinema.
Meghna Ghai Puri, President, WWI, mentioned: “Celebrate Cinema is where education meets inspiration. Big-screen cinema remains vital because it creates a shared experience, amplifies storytelling and gives audiences the opportunity to immerse themselves completely in a filmmaker’s vision. By bringing students face-to-face with industry leaders and emerging technologies, we prepare them to shape the future of cinema while preserving the magic of the theatrical experience.”
Celebrate Cinema ’26 reaffirmed WWI’s dedication to bridging schooling and business, empowering the subsequent technology of storytellers to innovate, collaborate, and hold the magic of cinema alive on the massive display.
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