Mumbai’s pride as the birth and beating heart of Indian cinema is cemented by its designation as a UNESCO Creative City of Film. The city bridges its rich Bollywood legacy with a modern future, continually honoring its cinematic roots through community programming and state-of-the-art urban redevelopment.
Celebrating Mumbai’s cinematic roots the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) actively host multi-day community events. The Lens and Legacy archival showcase at the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), which highlights Hindi and Marathi cinema through vintage artwork, rare portraits, and old magazine covers.
Interactive sessions, like the Toon Club’s Animation Workshops and special screenings of independent, iconic Marathi (Marathi Chalchitrapat), and animated films.
Home to Bollywood, Mumbai produces nearly half of all Indian films and TV shows, with a media and entertainment sector contributing over $15 billion annually. The city has been synonymous with magic since the production of the first Indian silent feature film in 1913, and is home to the sprawling Film City in Goregaon and the National Museum of Indian Cinema.
Mumbai’s urban planning is tightly woven with its Creative City status. State-funded urban redevelopment projects are actively upgrading Film City in Goregaon, bringing high-tech production facilities and developing interactive spaces like “Bollywood Square” to engage fans worldwide. These efforts emphasize inclusive storytelling and expanding opportunities for emerging local talent.
News Edit KV Raman
