The Big Screen Is Here to Stay: Celebrate Cinema 2026 at Whistling Woods International
~ Bringing together over 4,000 students, celebrated filmmakers, industry veterans and leading voices from Google, Adobe, Sony Pictures and Warner Bros. Discovery, the festival explored the enduring magic of big-screen cinema and its evolving future. Hema Malini inaugurated the exhibition honouring Shri Dharmendra, while Maharashtra’s Minister of Cultural Affairs, Ashish Shelar, paid tribute to veteran actors Shri Dharmendra and Nana Patekar. ~
Mumbai, October 11, 2026: Whistling Woods International (WWI) hosted the 14th edition of Celebrate Cinema ’26 from October 7 to 9, centred on the theme ‘Impact of Big-Screen Cinema’. The three-day, open-to-all festival brought together over 4,000 students, industry professionals and creative minds to explore cinema’s cultural impact, evolving technologies and power to unite audiences.
The festival opened with Aamir Khan, Aparna Purohit and the Sitaare Zameen Par team discussing storytelling, audiences and the theatrical experience. Khan said, “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 industry experts participated in discussions, alongside eight-plus masterclasses and more than 50 workshops. Speakers included Hema Malini; Aamir Khan; Aparna Purohit; Imtiaz Ali; Rana Daggubati; Jyoti Deshpande, President of 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 experts from Google, Adobe, InVideo and Neural Garage.
Sessions explored global theatrical distribution through Spider-Man and The Odyssey, the making of the Dhurandhar films, and AI’s transformation of filmed entertainment. Workshops covered AI-powered short filmmaking using Adobe Firefly, Creative Cloud and AI, editing, VFX compositing, colour grading, screenwriting, production design, animation, photography, acting, sound, music production, creative advertising, lensing and lighting. The Immersive Studio showcased interactive installations featuring VR, motion capture, projection mapping, interactive games, generative visuals and real-time transformations, demonstrating how technology is reshaping creative experiences.
Actor and entrepreneur Rana Daggubati reflected on cinema’s unifying power, saying, “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 moving highlight of the festival was the inauguration of an exhibition honouring veteran actor Shri Dharmendra by Hema Malini, alongside a heartfelt tribute to his legacy featuring Hema Malini, Subhash Ghai and Salim Arif. Hema Malini acknowledged Whistling Woods International’s contribution to nurturing young filmmaking talent and spoke warmly of Subhash Ghai’s vision in establishing an institution dedicated to cinema and its future. The tribute featured an audiovisual presentation created by WWI students, celebrating Dharmendra Ji’s unforgettable contribution to Indian cinema. In a significant gesture to honour his legacy, Ashish Shelar, Maharashtra’s Minister of Cultural Affairs, announced mid-term scholarships in Dharmendra Ji’s name for academically excelling WWI students.
Ashish Shelar also paid tribute to veteran actor Nana Patekar, honouring his contribution to Indian cinema.
Subhash Ghai, Founder and Chairman, WWI, said, “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 festival concluded with filmmaker Imtiaz Ali in conversation with Subhash Ghai. Expressing his appreciation for WWI and its students, Ali spoke about the institute’s vibrant creative energy and the enthusiasm of its young talent. He also acknowledged Ghai’s vision in creating a platform that brings aspiring filmmakers closer to the craft of cinema and the people who shape it. Ali’s interaction reinforced the importance of nurturing creativity, encouraging young storytellers and preserving the emotional power of cinema.
Meghna Ghai Puri, President, WWI, said, “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 commitment to bridging education and industry, empowering the next generation of storytellers to innovate, collaborate and keep the magic of cinema alive on the big screen.
