Mumbai Asian
Film Festival
Celebrating independent films across multiple categories with cash prizes and jury recognition.
Discovering
The Fearless
Voice of Cinema
The Mumbai Asian Film Festival (MAFF) is an international platform dedicated to discovering, celebrating, and promoting independent, passionate, and fearless filmmakers from Asia and across the globe. Set in the heart of India's creative capital—Mumbai, a city synonymous with cinema—Mumbai Asian Film Festival is envisioned as a meeting ground for diverse stories, cultures, and cinematic voices that deserve to be seen, heard, and celebrated.
Mumbai Asian Film Festival believes that cinema is more than entertainment—it is expression, resistance, identity, and connection. Our festival is committed to supporting emerging and young filmmakers, first-time directors, students, and independent creators who often struggle to find meaningful platforms for their work.The Mumbai Asian Film Festival, your film is not just screened—it is respected, discussed, and showcased with pride.
Meet the Team
Founded by curators and creators dedicated to providing a global stage for the next generation of fearless independent voices.
Ashok Purang is a distinguished theatre practitioner and creative producer with over four decades of experience in cinema and the performing arts. As the founder-director of Pierrot's Troupe, he has directed over two dozen acclaimed international plays and served as the Creative Producer for the National Award-winning film Filmistaan. His extensive production portfolio includes notable features such as Rhombus and AR Mani CO, where he leverages a deep mastery of performance to bridge the gap between traditional theatre and high-impact contemporary filmmaking.
A respected authority in the global film festival circuit, Ashok has served as Festival Director for the Navi Mumbai International Film Festival and as a selection panelist for IFFI Goa. Beyond curation, he is a dedicated mentor who has shaped the careers of celebrated actors like Rajkumar Rao and Divyendu Sharma. Through his ongoing work as an educator and creative consultant, he remains committed to fostering the next generation of cinematic talent and strengthening the artistic integrity of the global storytelling community.
Smita Uchil is an entrepreneur and cultural ecosystem builder specializing in platform creation and live experiences across Southeast Asia. As the Co-founder of showtickets.asia, she has led the execution of large-scale concerts and celebrity sporting events, leveraging strategic partnerships to build sustainable, audience-driven platforms. Her expertise lies in bridging the gap between premium content and regional audiences through structured execution and a deep understanding of the Southeast Asian market.
In the film sector, Smita has been a driving force for Asian cinema, previously serving as a Film Distribution Lead in Singapore and a core member of the Singapore South Asian International Film Festival. Now, as the Co-founder of the Mumbai Asian Film Festival her mission is to amplify diverse cinematic voices and create a global stage that celebrates the power of Asian storytelling.
Kundan Kumar is a festival strategist, curator, and the Co-founder of the Mumbai Asian Film Festival, with over eight years of experience across national and international film platforms. He has built a reputation for bridging institutional excellence with modern curation, having collaborated with prestigious global bodies such as the Cannes Film Festival (PR & Marketing), IFFI Goa, and the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC). His expertise lies in navigating the complex intersections of film marketing, festival strategy, and institutional partnerships.
Throughout his career, Kundan has held pivotal roles at the Singapore South Asian International Film Festival, the South Asian Film Market, and the Critics' Choice Awards. He is committed to creating sustainable platforms that amplify unique cinematic voices, fostering global connections that empower the next generation of storytellers within the international film community.
Namita Lal is an actor, producer, entrepreneur, and former international banker with over three decades of experience across global finance and the creative industries. After a successful career with Standard Chartered, she transitioned into independent cinema and has worked across theatre, feature films, web series, and short films in Singapore, India, the United Kingdom, and beyond.
Her international festival journey began with Lihaaf (The Quilt), which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2018. Since then, she has become a regular participant at Cannes and Marché du Film, building strong relationships with producers, festival directors, distributors, sales agents, financiers, and filmmakers across global markets.
Namita's work has received international recognition, including Best Actress at the Kaleidoscope International Film Festival, Boston, for Oxygen, along with nominations at the Indian International Film Festival of Boston and the Septimius Awards, Amsterdam. As Festival Advisor, she brings global industry insight, creative experience, and a deep commitment to strengthening South Asian storytelling on the world stage.
Hasan Naved is a seasoned media professional with over 18 years of experience in India and the Middle East, specializing in Broadcast journalism, film festivals, and event management. He began his career at All India Radio and later worked at DD News and Dubai's leading Hindi FM radio station, collaborating with major international media like BBC and Al Jazeera.
Hasan has managed several prestigious film festivals, including the Dubai International Film Festival, and played a key role in the European Union Film Festival Abu Dhabi, I-Film Festival Abu Dhabi and Al Ain International film festival. His expertise spans festival programming, event production, and stakeholder engagement, fostering strong relationships within the film and media industry.