On 14 September 2025, the Amphitheatre at Fergusson College, Pune, will host a full-day summit “Reimagining the Future: VFX in the World of Marathi Filmmaking”, dedicated to exploring the evolving role of visual effects in regional cinema. Organised by the Maharashtra Immersive Digital Content Creators Association (MIDCCA), in association with Akhil Bhartiya Marathi Chitrapat Mahamandal and co-hosted by the MRB Foundation, the event aims to bring together creative professionals from across the Marathi film industry.
MIDCCA is a collaborative platform dedicated to fostering growth and innovation within the AVGC-XR sectors in Maharashtra. As a registered Section 8 company, it aims to empower digital creators, provide resources, and cultivate partnerships that drive the immersive content industry forward, through advocacy, industry collaboration, education, and talent incubation, MIDCCA is committed to putting the state on the global map as a hub for immersive media innovation.
This full-day event is designed to empower Marathi filmmakers, producers, and creative professionals by showcasing how cost-effective, high-quality VFX can elevate regional cinema, series, and digital content to meet global standards. With technology becoming increasingly accessible, the summit will focus on how VFX is no longer limited to big-budget productions but is now a vital tool for enhancing narrative depth and visual impact across formats.
Attendees can expect a dynamic exchange of ideas and experiences from directors, cinematographers, editors, and VFX studios. The summit will also serve as a platform for collaboration, industry dialogue, and long-term partnerships aimed at strengthening the Marathi film ecosystem.
Some of the major highlights from the day include:
- Keynote address by industry leaders on the future of regional cinema with VFX.
- Case studies and showcases of Marathi films and series that effectively used VFX.
- Panel discussions and workshops with directors, producers, cinematographers, and studio heads.
- Networking and collaboration opportunities with leading VFX studios and associations.
- Discussion with Akhil Bhartiya Marathi Chitrapat Mahamandal to strengthen industry ties.
The day will commence with a lamp lighting ceremony by MIDDCA heads and special dignitaries. The event will be graced by the presence of Uday Samant, Minister of Industries & Marathi Language, Government of Maharashtra as the chief guest alongside Indian film and TV actor Swapnil Joshi (Mumbai-Pune-Mumbai, Duniyadari) as the special guest. The event will begin with a welcoming address by MIDCCA president and philmCGI managing director and co-founder Anand Bhanushali. MIDCCA vice president and 88 Pictures founder and CEO Milind D. Shinde along with MIDCCA secretary, Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute RC member, and Srajan College of Design founder director Santosh Raskar will talk about MIDCCA’s mission for regional content creators. This will be followed by a special address by Akhil Bhartiya Marathi Chitrapat Mahamandal president, Meghraj Raje Bhosale Foundation president and Film Federation of India vice president Meghraj Raje Bhosale.
The day will begin with a session titled Behind the scenes: Cost-effective VFX in Marathi films & series, featuring case studies from three notable projects. Assemblage Entertainment co-head of CG Vidit Kundra and Assemblage Entertainment animation director Chetan Tahashildar will present insights from Chhaava. SM Rolling FX Vivek Jamble will share the VFX journey of Ved, while NY VFXWaala business head Yogesh Chhag will discuss the making of Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior. This session will offer the audience an in-depth look at how cost-effective VFX was successfully implemented in these Marathi films and series.
Panel discussion titled Maximizing creativity with limited budgets: Producers & directors speak will feature industry stalwarts like Autodesk India & SAARC senior solutions engineer M&E Samit Shetty, cinematographer Suresh Deshmane (Zapatlela 2, Gadhvache Lagna), and VFX producer/ supervisor Anuj Deshpande (Vikram Vedha, Chandramukhi). WhiteApple MD and founder Rajeev Rastogi will be moderating this session. They will expand the horizon of understanding regional films and the visual creativity that goes into it without limiting it or constraining it to a specific language.
After the networking lunch, the event picks up momentum with two exciting Making-of sessions and workshops, offering a deep dive into the creative process behind standout projects. Nube Cirrus VFX producer Ashwin Patil and VFX supervisor Debdoot Ghosh will be presenting on the Marathi film Dashavatar, which will be released in the theatres on 12 September 2025. Wot Studios co-founder and VFX supervisor Jayesh P. Malkapure will present on the 2023 released Marathi film Raavrambha.
This will be followed by an interactive segment titled Interactive session by MIDCCA led by seasoned industry experts like philmCGI managing director and co-founder Anand Bhanushali, NY VFXWaala business head Yogesh Chhag, Aptech academics executive vice president Abir Aich, Phoebus Animation Studios founder director Rahul Bakshi, 88 Pictures founder and CEO Milind D. Shinde and MIDCCA secretary, Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute RC member, and Srajan College of Design founder director Santosh Raskar. Attendees can engage directly, ask questions, and gain valuable insights into the craft and challenges of visual storytelling.
Next in the line is a masterclass on Planning VFX in Pre-Production where the speakers will explain how VFX is integrated in the film from the scripting stage and how the budget allocation and swift workflows. Envision VFX will talk about pre-production for the Malayalam film ARM. The studio’s speakers include VFX producer Aditya Kulkarni, CG team lead Akshay Madansure, VFX supervisor Aman Khan and paint supervisor Kailash Huljute. In the second part of the session, Yeti Studios illustrator and comic book artist Saumin Suresh Patel will be talking about Storyboards – The cornerstone of cinematic stories, highlighting their role in shaping visual narratives.
Taking a refreshing detour from the intense world of films and series, the next session titled VFX in Advertising will focus on the visual effects and creative process behind advertisements. This segment offers a lighter yet insightful perspective, showcasing how VFX is used to craft compelling, high-impact visuals in the fast-paced world of ad filmmaking. This session will be conducted by Resonance Digital founder and CEO Abhyuday Grover and Resonance Digital advertisements executive producer Rohit Raghuvanshi.
The final session of the day will bring everything to a meaningful close with heartfelt closing remarks and a vote of thanks. It will include a recap of key takeaways from the event, special felicitations to honour contributors, and a group photo to capture the spirit of the gathering and celebrate the collective experience.
With a thoughtfully curated lineup of sessions, speakers, and collaborative opportunities, Reimagining the Future: VFX in the World of Marathi Filmmaking promises to be a transformative experience for the regional film community. By spotlighting the power of visual effects and making advanced tools more accessible to local creators, the summit sets the stage for a new era of storytelling in Marathi cinema. As the day concludes, it leaves behind a renewed sense of inspiration, stronger industry connections, and a collective vision for elevating regional content to global standards.
