With only a few hours left for the grand opening of the North American Marathi Film Association’s (NAFA) Marathi Film Festival, the NAFA family has extended a jubilant welcome to the invited artists who have arrived from Maharashtra. On the night of July 24, NAFA founder and president Abhijit Gholap hosted a grand welcome reception for all the artists at his Silicon Valley residence. The pre-cultural evening came alive with the presence of these artists, marking a vibrant beginning to the festival.
Founded last year by Abhijit Gholap—a National Award-winning producer of acclaimed films like Deool and Bharatiya and a successful entrepreneur—NAFA was created with the intent of popularizing Marathi cinema in North America and showcasing the richness of Marathi culture to American audiences. Under his guidance, nearly 100 to 150 NAFA volunteers have been working tirelessly for months to organize this grand event.
Starting today, July 25, the NAFA Marathi Film Festival 2025 officially begins and will feature a three-day Film Expo. The first day will kick off with a spectacular and glamorous Film Awards Night. A wave of curiosity surrounds the NAFA Lifetime Achievement Award—who will receive this prestigious honor?
The scene at Hollywood’s iconic California Theater is unforgettable: a red carpet rolled out, flashing cameras, and Marathi artists in the spotlight—all highlighting the growing influence of Marathi cinema in the U.S. The dazzling Film Awards Night has enveloped the entire city of San Jose in a festive atmosphere. Hollywood has flung its doors wide open to welcome Marathi stars with a grand red carpet!
This year’s festival boasts an impressive guest list, including Maharashtra’s Cultural Affairs Minister Adv. Ashish Shelar, along with Dr. Mohan Agashe, Amol Palekar, Sachin Khedekar, Mahesh Kothare, Gajendra Ahire, Ashwini Bhave, Sonali Kulkarni, Sandhya Gokhale, Swapnil Joshi, Avadhoot Gupte, Adinath Kothare, Vaidehi Parashurami, and Madhur Bhandarkar, among others.
Welcoming these artists are NAFA’s dedicated team members and organizers: Riya Thosar, Arundhati Datye, Archana Saraf, Dr. Gauri Gholap, Anup Nimkar, Vinayak Phadnavis, Vrushali Malpekar, Yogi Patil, Laxman Apte, Gauri Kulkarni, Niranjan Page, Harsha, Pooja, Nima, Manish, and Mansi Deolekar—along with hundreds of volunteers, artists, and technicians from across the U.S.
Since last year, the NAFA Marathi Film Festival has been celebrated with great enthusiasm in San Jose, California. This year, the event has even received recognition from the U.S. Capitol. Recently, U.S. Congressman Shri Thanedar, who is of Marathi origin, proudly spoke about the festival on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives.
