The August Chapter of Talk Cinema On The Floor (TCOTF), organized by NDFF in collaboration with IICS, MESC, and SACAC, brought together filmmakers, cinephiles, and students for a vibrant exchange of ideas. With engaging sessions led by film editor Praveen Jain and filmmaker-writer Sohini Dasgupta, the chapter explored the art of editing, the role of empathy in storytelling, and the vision behind NDFF’s flagship Make Cinema campaign. Emerging voices also shared their creativity through the interactive ‘Take the Floor’ segment, making this edition another step towards building a meaningful cinematic ecosystem in Delhi-NCR.
TCOTF August Chapter: From Rhythm to Empathy
New Delhi, August 30, 2025 – The New Delhi Film Foundation (NDFF), in partnership with the Indian Institute of Creative Skills (IICS), Media & Entertainment Skills Council (MESC), and Sri Aurobindo Centre for Arts & Creativity (SACAC), hosted the August edition of Talk Cinema On The Floor (TCOTF) at the IICS–MESC Centre in Lajpat Nagar. This marked the third monthly edition of the initiative, designed to nurture a meaningful and creative cinematic ecosystem in Delhi–NCR.
Craft & Crew: The Invisible Art of Editing
Praveen Jain, FTII alumnus and Assistant Professor at Sharda University, anchored the session. With over 14 years of experience in both industry and academia, he emphasized that editing is far more than merely cutting shots—it is the rhythmic storytelling of cinema, shaping emotion and narrative with precision and soul. He cited Sholay, Devdas, and Chak De India as vivid examples where editing profoundly influenced storytelling.
He illustrated how, at times, an actor may deliver an outstanding performance and the cinematographer may achieve perfect lighting and framing, yet due to certain technical flaws the shot may not fit seamlessly into the sequence — and on the editing table, it ultimately gets rejected.
Spotlight: Stories Made with Empathy
In the Spotlight segment, noted filmmaker Sohini Dasgupta shared her journey—from crafting Chhoti Moti Baatein (Sweet Home), based on the true story of two sisters battling depression, screened at the Busan and Kerala International Film Festivals, to collaborating with the legendary Buddhadeb Dasgupta on his final film Uro Jahaj (The Flight). She revealed that during shooting in Jharkhand, Dasgupta-da balanced dialysis and outdoor filming from dawn till dusk.
During the session, trailers of Sohini’s feature film Chhoti Moti Baatein, her full-length documentary Drama Queens, and Buddhadeb Dasgupta’s last feature film Urojahaj were screened. Sohini also elaborated on the themes and creative processes behind these films. She held that “humor and empathy are essential in both life and cinema.”
Make Cinema: Small Films, Big Voices
Founder Ashish K. Singh provided updates on the Make Cinema campaign—an effort to produce six short films in six months, each rooted in reality and social nuance. Selected writers and filmmakers are now being mentored by seasoned professionals to bring these stories to life.
The program was hosted by Swati, and in the concluding segment it was announced that the New Delhi Film Foundation will organize a three-day paid workshop on screenwriting in September–October, to be conducted by two-time National Award-winning writer Ashok Mishra. Notably, just a few weeks ago, Mishra’s film Kathal, which he scripted, was declared the winner of the 71st National Film Award. Ashok Mishra has written for several films by Shyam Benegal, including the acclaimed series Bharat Ek Khoj, and he also penned Saeed Akhtar Mirza’s film Naseem, for which he received the National Award.
At the conclusion of the program, NDFF Treasurer Harender Kumar and Executive Director (Branding & Marketing) Vaibhav Maitreya felicitated Sohini Dasgupta and Praveen Jain with mementos. On behalf of Team NDFF, production control was managed by Krish Gupta, while media and coordination responsibilities were carried out by Simran, Prashik Meshram, Priyanshu Kumar, Aryan, and Priyanshu Chandra.
With soaring attendance, enriching dialogue, and a strengthened creative spirit, Talk Cinema On The Floor is positioning itself as a central stage for storytelling, collaboration, and cinematic growth in Delhi–NCR.
