On a rain-soaked Mumbai day, WIFF’s Impact Workshop brought together storytellers, changemakers, and filmmakers to explore how films can spark campaigns, shift mindsets, and inspire community action. The Daily Eye #Newsdesk reports.

The WIFF Mumbai 2025 Impact Workshop, held on July 25 at Rangshila Theatre, Versova, brought together filmmakers, journalists, researchers, and students to explore how documentaries and storytelling can drive real social change. Led by renowned impact producer Anupama Mandloi and filmmaker Maya Rao, the workshop focused on building strategic campaigns around films using digital media, community engagement, and behaviour-change techniques. Participants included names from the Indian film industry, OTT creators, and emerging voices from the transgender and independent cinema communities. This pre-festival event reinforced WIFF Mumbai’s vision to empower purpose-driven storytelling and create a thriving ecosystem for impactful, independent Indian cinema.

It was a day when the rain refused to stop—but the stories flowed anyway. On Friday, 25th July 2025, the Rangshila Theatre in Versova was packed to capacity for the fifth pre-festival event of WIFF Mumbai 2025. Despite the relentless downpour, every single registered participant showed up, bringing with them a deep belief in the power of storytelling as a catalyst for social change.

The Impact Workshop was conducted by two inspiring women who have been working at the intersection of media and social change for decades—Anupama Mandloi and Maya Rao.

Anupama, an impact producer and sustainability advocate, and Maya, a documentary filmmaker and theatre practitioner, led an intensive session that explored how documentaries can move beyond awareness into real-world impact. From digital tools to grassroots campaigning, the workshop illuminated how to connect films with audiences in ways that drive behavioural change.

Speaking at the workshop, Anupama Mandloi said, “On a rainy Friday morning at Rangshila in Mumbai, WIFF brought together a full house for a deeply engaged Impact Workshop with Maya and me leading the session. It was a three-hour session focused on films that spark dialogue, drive change, and reach their intended audience when we think beyond the screen. Watching storytellers connect the dots between intention and impact was nothing short of electric”.

Maya Rao added, “ Thank you WIFF for building a community of passionate committed people who gathered together on 25^th July to understand how to maximise the impact of the powerful tool that is documentary. It was an exhilarating experience for Anupama and me and the Q&A was specially insightful. The formation of community where we can all support and exchange thoughts is the need of our times. Documenting for change...every voice matters! Thank you Vinta and Deepa for this effort. May the force be with you!”

The event was facilitated by Deepa Gahlot, Festival Director of WIFF Mumbai, and Vinta Nanda, Executive Director, both of whom have long championed independent storytelling in India. Deepa remarked that the festival is not only a space to screen films, but to support the creators behind them. Vinta echoed this by stating, “Our commitment is to build a platform where courageous and meaningful cinema finds its rightful place—not just in festivals, but in the cultural consciousness of the country.” 

Among those present was Rucha Pathak, one of India’s most respected producers, known for shaping critically acclaimed films like Barfi!, Paan Singh Tomar, and Dev.D. Her presence in the room brought invaluable depth to the conversation. So did Deepa Bhalerao and Dr. Swapnalekha Basak of Sthir, who bring a lens of psychological safety and emotional insight to storytelling, reminding everyone of the emotional terrain that powerful films must responsibly navigate.

Dr. Rajeev Kumar, who runs a Punjabi-language OTT platform dedicated to regional narratives, shared his powerful experience documenting the rampant illegal sand mining that continues to destroy Punjab’s fragile ecology. His fight is ongoing—film is his weapon of truth. Mudit Singhal, who recently completed his feature film Yes Sir, was eager to understand how to weave impact strategies into future projects, reflecting a shift among new filmmakers to look beyond aesthetics and into the realm of engagement.

The room also held stories rooted in personal identity. Filmmakers Isa Khedwal and Shrey Shah, both from the transgender community, are creating works that explore and confront the complex realities of trans lives in India. Their contributions during the session were deeply moving and necessary.

Communicators and cinephiles Aditi Mathur and Divya Singh brought sharp questions and keen insights into audience engagement, while seasoned journalist and filmmaker Pooja Das Sarkar drew attention for her rich and diverse body of work. With a background in English literature from Jadavpur University and training from both TISS Mumbai and the Prague Film School, Pooja has navigated the worlds of journalism, documentary, and narrative storytelling with ease. Her films have won awards, screened globally, and she was once a correspondent for Satyamev Jayate, India’s most-watched social issues-based TV show.

Rahil Khan, with his focus on combating misinformation through visual media, was vocal about the need for integrity in documentary storytelling in an age where manipulation is as common as truth. Sapna Kamath, Rit Prasanna, Ravi Shanker, Vinaya Modak, Indira Baikerikar, and Aarya Bansod added to the rich diversity in the room, representing voices from various disciplines—each one committed to meaningful media.

After the workshop, the rain relented just long enough for everyone to walk down to Sathe’s—the all-day diner that has become a creative hub for Versova’s filmmaking community. Over hot lunches and casual adda, conversations flowed—from thoughts on ethics in storytelling to how festivals like WIFF Mumbai can become incubators for campaign-oriented cinema.

The event was a testament to the fact that while rain may flood roads, it can’t dampen passion. The impact workshop served as a springboard—connecting stories with strategy, intention with infrastructure, and creators with community. WIFF Mumbai 2025 is just beginning, but with afternoons like these, it is already clear that it is shaping into something more than a festival—it is becoming a movement.