Priyanka Chopra Jonas named chairperson of MAMI Mumbai Film Festival

Priyanka Chopra Jonas has been named the new chairperson of the Mumbai Academy of the Moving Image (MAMI). Moreover, this year’s edition of the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival will be extended from October 2021 to March 2022 in a series of digital and hybrid events.

Chopra Jonas was unanimously nominated by MAMI’s board of trustees, including co-chairperson Nita M Ambani, festival director Anupama Chopra, former chairperson Kiran Rao, chairperson of PVR Cinemas Ajay Bijli, industralist Anand G Mahindra, Isha Ambani, producer Siddharth Roy Kapur, filmmakers Farhan Akhtar, Zoya Akhtar, Vikramaditya Motwane, Vishal Bhardwaj, Kabir Khan, Rohan Sippy, Kaustubh Dhavse, and actors Rana Daggubati and Riteish Deshmukh.

The board added two members, filmmaker Anjali Menon and archivist and filmmaker Shivendra Singh Dungarpur.

The actress-producer said she was proud to take on the role of chairperson. In a statement, she said, “I’m really looking forward to working alongside these powerhouse women, Isha Ambani, Anupama Chopra, Smriti Kiran and the rest of the team, to take the festival to the next level.

"I’ve hit the road running... with ideas, thoughts and plans on reimagining the festival to find its rightful place in a world that has changed so much in such a short time.

"We are all consuming film and entertainment very differently now and, in the process, we have expanded the footprint of the cinema that we watch. I have always been a huge supporter of and believer in films from across India and together we hope to create a strong platform to showcase Indian cinema to the world.”

The year, MAMI 2.0 will hold digital sessions with screenings and masterclasses featuring talent from around the world from October 2021 to January 2022, under the Year Round Programme, Depending on the COVID-19 situation in India, the hybrid edition of the festival will take place from 11–15 March 2022.

Artistic director Smriti Kiran said, “The new course for Jio MAMI strengthens what we collectively feel should be our focus. Bolstering the creative think tank at the academy are three brilliant minds — Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Anjali Menon and Shivendra Singh Dungarpur. I cannot wait for us to set sail.”

Several changes have been implemented this year with the creation of more awards and grants for Indian films and filmmakers and eliminating the International Competition section. The festival will screen all the Indian films that were meant to be a part of last year’s edition.

Additionally, the festival will continue its digital programming with Dial M For Films, Storytellers Are Us: The Origin Story, Jio MAMI Industry Programme, Rashid Irani Young Critics Lab and the MAMI Year Round Programme Home Theatre.