Mumbai witnessed a grand celebration of cinema at the 8th Moonwhite Films International Film Festival (MWFIFF) 2025, held at the prestigious Mukkti Auditorium. The awards ceremony was graced by Padma Shri Anup Jalota, the legendary bhajan maestro, who attended as the Chief Guest and Presenter of the event. Several eminent personalities from the film and music fraternity marked their presence, congratulating festival founder and director Devashish Sargam Raj for successfully completing eight years of the festival.
Anup Jalota extended his heartfelt congratulations to all the award winners and appreciated the growing stature of the festival. Also present on the occasion were Pandit Suvashit Raj, co-founder Shipra Raj, singer Suharsh Raj, singer Dilraj Kaur, and music composer Vivek Prakash, among others.
The ceremony paid a solemn tribute to iconic personalities of Indian cinema, including Dharmendra, Manoj Kumar, Asrani, Madhumati, Pankaj Dheer, and Satish Shah. The evening was further enriched with musical performances - singer Sanjay Shangalu captivated the audience, while the Jamsaaz Band mesmerized everyone with soulful renditions of popular songs like ‘Zaroorat’.
Dilraj Kaur with winnersDuring the event, Devashish Sargam Raj announced that he has signed an International film as a film director. When asked more questions Nadiu and Devashish said it is too early to disclose all information at the moment. The upcoming film project will be produced by New Zealand Producer Anand Naidu.
International participation added a global dimension to the festival. Russian filmmaker Evgeny Shmelev was specially there and was felicitated at the ceremony. Several films from across the world were honoured, including Stranded Pearl (Feature Film – New Zealand), Nanak Chinta Mat Karo (Short Film – India), Khoj (Regional Short Film – India), Jules (International Short Film – USA), Marionette (Music Video Pop R&B – USA), and The Family Photo (International Animation Short Film – USA).
Singer Suharsh Raj enthralled the audience by singing a few lines from his popular music video ‘Kaafir Deewana’. The jury panel featured renowned names such as Anup Jalota, Jaspinder Narula, Dilraj Kaur, and Pandit Suvashit Raj.
Suvashit Raj with winnersSpeaking on the occasion, Padma Shri Anup Jalota said, “Devashish Sargam has successfully completed eight years of this festival, and I congratulate him wholeheartedly. The festival is growing bigger every year, and it is encouraging to see strong participation from international films as well. MWFIFF provides a valuable platform for short films.”
Founder-Director Devashish Sargam Raj expressed his gratitude, saying, “I congratulate all the awardees and nominees and thank our jury members, sponsors, and guests. This is not just a film festival, but a meaningful platform for dreamers and creative minds. It celebrates the power of cinema and its deep impact on society. We are blessed to have the guidance and blessings of Anup Jalota ji, whom I consider my godfather.”
