Talk Cinema On The Floor – First Session Marks A Powerful Beginning
The inaugural session of ‘Talk Cinema On The Floor’, a flagship initiative of New Delhi Film Foundation (NDFF), was held on Saturday, June 28, 2025 at SACAC, New Delhi, with energy, insight, and strong creative participation. The event connected emerging filmmakers, artists, and cinema enthusiasts while also launching NDFF’s action-driven campaign ‘Make Cinema’, signaling a growing cultural movement in Delhi-NCR.
–By NDFF Editorial Desk
The first session of Talk Cinema On The Floor—an interactive platform designed to build a creative ecosystem for sincere and independent filmmaking in Delhi-NCR—was successfully held on Saturday, June 28, at Sri Aurobindo Centre for Arts and Creativity (SACAC), in collaboration with the Media & Entertainment Skills Council (MESC).
An initiative of the New Delhi Film Foundation (NDFF), this platform aims to bring together filmmakers, writers, performers, producers, technicians, policy professionals, cinephiles, and cinema lovers in a recurring, open-format forum. Through curated conversations, skill-building talks, talent showcases, and networking, TCOTF seeks to create space for idea exchange, inspiration, and collaboration.
A Morning of Purpose and Passion
The morning kicked off with a vibrant house with creative minds from across Delhi-NCR. Welcoming the guests, NDFF Founder Ashish K. Singh shared the vision behind TCOTF:
“Cinema is not just an art or an industry; it is a medium that reflects and reforms our times. We are trying to build a tribe of storytellers who work with conviction, passion, and purpose.”
He announced that Talk Cinema On The Floor would be held regularly at different venues in the region and would run parallel to NDFF’s filmmaking campaign ‘Make Cinema – Small Films, Big Voices’.
Craft, Crew & Clarity
The first segment, ‘Craft & Crew’, featured Dr. Vikas Singh, senior filmmaker, educator, and former associate director with Yash Raj Films. Known for his training at Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute (New York), Dr. Singh delivered a practical and immersive talk on screenplay structure, genre treatment, and the broader role of storytelling in modern filmmaking.
His talk broke down myths around storytelling and made the audience rethink the creative process—especially useful for emerging and aspiring filmmakers in the audience.
Spotlight on Stories That Matter
The next segment was ‘Spotlight’ and the guest was Pawan K. Shrivastava, an independent filmmaker known for his socially rooted storytelling and India’s first crowdfunded feature film Naya Pata. In a free-flowing conversation with Ashish K. Singh, Pawan emphasized that
“Films should be made out of passion and personal truth, not just through technique. Institutional training is helpful, but heart and purpose drive the film.”
He discussed his latest film I Am Draupadi, starring Rajit Kapur and Bidita Bag, and encouraged new creators to experiment and speak the truth of their times without being shackled by conventional formats or nostalgia.
Take The Floor – A Window for Raw Voices
One of the highlights of the session was the interactive segment ‘Take The Floor: The 5-Minute Window’, where participants could pitch their stories, showcase their talents, or present ideas for collaboration. Among the presenters was actor Pankaj Kataria (Paatal Lok, Delhi Crime), who shared his journey and a new story idea. Some emerging and young filmmakers and production professionals also presented film ideas, and showed a glimpse of their work and expertise through AV presentation.
This segment, which will be a regular feature of every TCOTF session, received strong applause and is expected to grow as a platform for talent scouting and collaboration.
‘Make Cinema’ Campaign Announced
Ashish K. Singh formally introduced NDFF’s flagship campaign ‘Make Cinema’, under which 6 powerful short films will be mentored and produced over the next six months. The initiative will provide structured support to writers and directors selected through an open call. Preference will be given to participants of TCOTF who pitch compelling ideas or showcase their storytelling potential.
“The stories we are looking for are real, rooted, and relevant—fiction or non-fiction doesn’t matter as long as the voice behind them is honest,” Singh noted.
A formal call for entries will be released soon on NDFF’s digital platforms.
A Cultural Experience with Vintage Cinema
Adding depth and nostalgia to the event was a curated vintage poster exhibition by renowned collector Ashok Kumar Kashyap & Dheeraj Kashyap. Rare posters of Pyaasa, Kaagaz Ke Phool, Barsaat, Mera Naam Joker, and others were displayed, including those marking the birth centenaries of Raj Kapoor and Guru Dutt. For the younger generation of film lovers, it was a fascinating visual lesson in cinema history.
Community, Collaboration & the Road Ahead
Vaibhav Maitreya, Executive Director – Branding & Marketing, NDFF, shared that this platform is designed to be self-sustainable, combining education, art, collaboration, and business. He also, along with Ashish K Singh presented goodie bags of NDFF to both the guests.
“We’re not just creating a program—we’re nurturing a movement, a culture. And we invite everyone with a story, a skill, or a passion to be part of it.”
SACAC Director Ms. Daljeet Wadhwa thanked the participants and said this collaboration aligns with SACAC’s commitment to meaningful arts education and dialogue.
The session was anchored by Mehak Anand and Priyanshu Kumar, coordinated by Devesh Manjhi, with production by Krish Gupta, and photography and media coverage by Prashik Meshram and Simran.
The event concluded with a tea networking session, where creators, actors, and producers mingled informally, sparking new collaborations and strengthening the NDFF community.
Media Coverage of ‘Talk Cinema On The Floor’
