World Premiere of ‘Muktai’, ‘Snowflower’, ‘Chhabeela’, and ‘Raosaheb’ at NAFA 2025 Festival in California!
In a proud effort to enhance the global presence of Marathi cinema, the North American Film Association (NAFA) had successfully organized its first-ever ‘NAFA Marathi Film Festival’ last year. The event celebrated Marathi films with grandeur and appreciation. This year, the festival will return in an even grander and more majestic form at the California Theatre in San Jose from July 25 to 27, 2025.
NAFA recently announced via press release the official selection of four films for this year’s event:
‘#Snowflower’ directed by #GajendraAhire
‘#Muktai’ directed by #DigpalLanjekar
‘#Chhabeela’ directed by #AnilBhalerao
‘#Raosaheb’ directed by #NikhilMahajan
Founded by visionary producer Abhijit Gholap—winner of the National Golden Lotus Awards for the films ‘Deool’ and ‘Bharatiya’—NAFA has created a prestigious global platform for Marathi films in the US and Canada, bringing them closer to the glamour of Hollywood, just miles from Beverly Hills. This year’s NAFA Festival promises to be a unique and radiant 3-day celebration. Alongside Marathi stars, renowned Hollywood personalities are also expected to attend.
The directors expressed their joy and gratitude for their films being selected for the world premiere at NAFA 2025:
Gajendra Ahire, director of Snowflower:
“‘Snowflower’ is a deep exploration of human emotions and conflict, questioning whether the law exists for people or people for the law. To showcase this narrative on an esteemed platform like NAFA is truly special. NAFA plays a vital role in giving Marathi cinema its deserved international recognition. The audience will find ‘Snowflower’ an introspective experience.”
Digpal Lanjekar, director of Muktai:
“The lines from the Pasaydan, ‘Let the darkness of ignorance disappear and may the world see the sun of true religion’ embody the essence of Dnyaneshwar and Muktai’s philosophy. They believed that this spiritual wisdom should reach the world. Thanks to NAFA, that dream is coming true. I’m sincerely grateful to NAFA for providing a platform to this spiritual journey.”
Anil Bhalerao, director of Chhabeela:
“The story of Chhabeela began in a tiny village called Raghuveer Tanda, where there are still no roads, electricity, or water. The people live harsh lives breaking stones in quarries. I am proud that this story has now reached across oceans, and I thank NAFA from the bottom of my heart.”
Nikhil Mahajan, director of Raosaheb:
“I’m extremely thrilled that my film ‘Raosaheb’ will premiere at NAFA for Marathi audiences in the US. This is a film meant to be seen on the big screen, and I assure you it’s unlike any Marathi film you’ve ever seen.”
Abhijit Gholap, founder and president of NAFA, said:
“The American premiere of these four exceptional Marathi films is not just a screening—it’s a historic beginning of opening American and Canadian platforms to Marathi cinema.”
The festival will kick off with a ‘Gala Dinner and Awards Night’ on July 25, followed by the Marathi Film Festival on July 26 and 27 at the California Theatre. The event will include:
World Premieres of the four selected Marathi feature films
Premieres of 16 short films
Screenings of 4 international-language films
A dedicated Students Section
Masterclasses, Meet & Greets, Live Performances, and more
Eminent celebrities expected to attend include Dr. Mohan Agashe, Amol Palekar, Sachin Khedekar, Mahesh Kothare, Ashwini Bhave, Sonali Kulkarni (Senior), Avadhoot Gupte, Adinath Kothare, Vaidehi Parashurami, and Madhur Bhandarkar. The event is also supported by 57 Maharashtra Mandals in the US, coordinated through BMM (Brihan Maharashtra Mandal).
There is immense anticipation for the event among Indian audiences in the US and Canada. Since NAFA began its monthly Marathi film screenings last year, the Marathi viewer base in North America has seen a remarkable rise.
By Keerti Kadam