What do you feel about the Mumbai Film Festival this year?

It is terrific and getting better and better every year. Another advantage is that the festival is taking place at Cinemax in the heart of the city, where the business actually takes place. I am also looking forward to watching a lot of films this week.

How has the festival grown over the last 13 years?

The journey has been like a dream come true. The committee wanted the festival to reach out to the maximum number of people and in just 13 years, we have come a long a long way.

How can filmmakers benefit from festival?

The festival is a great opportunity to meet great brains who are in the business, with whom you can discuss a lot of things, work on different ideas. You also get to learn by watching films, which are as diverse as chalk and cheese.

Are there any changes you would want to make in the festival?

I wish the festival would last for a longer period so that we could catch up on more films. A lot of people say more segments should be added like films from Poland or Korea etc. But there are 200 films already. We need to figure out if some films could be screened a few more times. Thus, efforts should be made to accommodate more people. Being the programme director here is a huge challenge!

What are your expectations from the MFF this year?

Considering the trajectory MAMI is on, the only way forward is up and higher.