Vicky Kaushal, Hema Malini Lead Star-Studded IFFD 2026 in Delhi

Scheduled from March 25 to 31, the city-wide festival will offer free access to screenings, masterclasses, panel discussions, workshops and cultural programmes across the national capital, according to a release from the Delhi Chief Minister's Ofiice (CMO).

The festival will see participation from leading names in Indian and international cinema, including Vicky Kaushal, Hema Malini, Bhumi Pednekar, Khushboo Sundar, Rana Daggubati, Divya Dutta, Annu Kapoor, Dr Chandra Prakash Dwivedi, Madhur Bhandarkar, Ramesh Sippy, Subhash Ghai, Sudipto Sen, Shiboprasad Mukherjee, Venkatesh, Arvind Swami, Manoj Tiwari, Ravi Kishan, Harish Bhimani, Esha Gupta, Malini Awasthi and Sanjay Puran Singh Chauhan.

IFFD 2026 will open on March 25 at Bharat Mandapam with a red carpet gala and opening ceremony hosted by Arjun Kapoor and Nimrat Kaur. The evening will feature Anupam Kher, Vicky Kaushal, Sanya Malhotra, Siddhant Chaturvedi and Lauren Gottlieb, followed by the gala screening of the Oscar-nominated film 'Sirat'.

The festival will be held across Bharat Mandapam, PVR-INOX theatres and curated public venues, with screenings also extending to outdoor locations, inflatable theatres and mobile LED units across the city, according to the release.

Public registrations are now live at https://www.iffdelhi.com/, with all screenings and public programmes free to attend, subject to prior registration and venue capacity, the release said.

At its core, the festival will present a diverse film programme selected from over 2,000 submissions, spanning international features, documentaries, short films, animation and hybrid formats.

Key highlights include 'Indian Cinema Now' featuring over 40 gala screenings across multiple Indian languages with cast and crew in attendance, and a Partner Festival Showcase presenting selections from the Singapore International Film Festival, including works by Anthony Chen and Jeremy Chua, with 'Amoeba' as the closing film, according to the CMO.

The festival will also showcase restored classics in collaboration with NFDC-NFAI, including a 4K restoration of 'Pyaasa' as part of the Guru Dutt centenary tribute, along with post-screening conversations and filmmaker Q&As.

IFFD 2026 will host a series of masterclasses and in-conversation sessions featuring Manoj Bajpayee, Boman Irani, Guneet Monga, Imtiaz Ali, Shekhar Kapur, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, Bhumi Pednekar, Huma Qureshi and Enrique Arce, among others, each followed by audience interactions.

Workshops aimed at students, emerging filmmakers and first-time creators will focus on practical learning and direct engagement with industry professionals.

The festival will also present curated cultural evenings at 7 PM, including performances by Sonam Kalra on March 26, Ashish Vidyarthi on March 27, Fouzia Dastango on March 28 and Ricky Kej on March 29.

Additionally, the CineVerse Expo at Bharat Mandapam will explore the intersection of cinema, technology and emerging storytelling formats, with select sessions open to registered audiences.

Marking the birth centenary of Guru Dutt, the festival will feature a special retrospective with restored screenings of his iconic works, including 'Pyaasa'.

Alongside its public programme, IFFD CineXchange will serve as the industry platform, bringing together filmmakers, producers, financiers, distributors, OTT platforms and festival programmers through curated labs, co-production markets and project showcases such as Co-Pro, Rough Cuts, Viewing Room and Pitch Your Idea, according to the CMO.

Suneel Anchipaka, Managing Director and CEO of Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation Ltd, said, "With IFFD 2026, we wanted to build a festival that feels open, welcoming, and truly connected to the city. The idea was simple: bring world cinema to people, remove barriers, and create spaces where audiences and filmmakers can come together."

- ANI