YathaKatha Festival Concludes: Celebrating Global Stories and Emerging Talent

The four-day festival, held from November 6 to 9, brought together filmmakers, authors, artists, and audiences from India and across the globe.

The finale was chaired by Dr. Smita Somane, PR Commissioner, Mumbai, and Bollywood actress Sunita Rajawar

Speaking at the event, Dr. Smita said, "YathaKatha Festival is an amazing platform that gives voices to the unheard and those who are not yet known to the public or industry, giving them space to share their unique work and vision. Also, it is an initiative to discover, encourage, and showcase new talent."

Sunita added, "YathaKatha is creating a change in the entertainment industry and in the coming years it will be a milestone to bring together not only the brilliant stories but also the storytellers."

Over the four days, the festival showcased an engaging lineup of film screenings, literary discussions, masterclasses, and interactive sessions, highlighting the theme 'Local vs Global', which encouraged dialogue around innovation, identity, and the transformative power of stories worldwide.

Festival Founder Charu Sharma shared her reflections on the event's success, saying, "YathaKatha was envisioned as a space where stories from around the world could meet and inspire each other. The fourth edition reaffirmed that vision, showcasing exceptional creativity and cultural diversity. We are deeply grateful to all our participants, partners, and audiences who made this celebration of art and literature truly memorable."

With the conclusion of its fourth edition, YathaKatha Festival Director Mohan Das added, "YathaKatha continues to nurture emerging talent and foster connections between creative communities through the universal language of storytelling."

The YathaKatha Awards 2025 recognized excellence in multiple categories, including Best Feature Film - Retour A Pondicherry by Raghunath Manet, Best Documentary - Anmol Virasat by Usha Abhaya Kumar & Dr Harish L Metha, Best Short Film - Knot by Abhay Parveen Gupta, Best Children Film - Deva Aaj Pan Vhay by Amol Jalandhar Jadhav, Best Student Film Darmiyaan by Maqdoom Shah, Best Animation Film - Candle by Arena Animation, Best Director Parthasarathi Mahanta for Ansuni Sinkhe, Best Actor - Arfi Laamba for Ye Kya Ho Gaya and Best Actress Shilpa Mehta for Singh & Sinha.

- ANI