a day ago
Free for Reel: Mumbai's free-to-attend film screening clubs
On Tuesday afternoon, I found myself in a packed theatre at the National Museum of Indian Cinema (NMIC) in Mumbai for a screening of Thithi, Raam Reddy's award-winning 2015 Kannada feature. Two hours later, as the credits rolled, Reddy launched into a workshop about his journey as a filmmaker and the making of Thithi, warning the audience that it would last at least an hour and a half. Very few people left their seats.
Towards the end, he screened an unreleased trailer for The Fable, saying his upcoming film is in the 'magic realism genre". During the Q&A, an audience member asked what that meant. Reddy explained: magic realism treats the magical not as spectacle but as fact, woven into the everyday setting of the plot.
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It struck me that the person asking the question likely wasn't 'from the scene". This was a free, public screening. Anyone who saw the announcement on the Instagram feeds of the organisers—NMIC, NFDC (National Film Development Corporation) or the VHS (Versova Homage Screening) collective—could attend. In that room, newcomers and cinephiles, students and artists sat side by side, drawn not by exclusivity or ticket prices but by a shared love for cinema.
Over the past year, I've seen more such scenes emerge in Mumbai: film screenings that are free and accessible, and spaces where community grows alongside cinema.
VHS has been hosting such screenings for over a year, followed by informal Q&As with directors. 'When we started, we invited friends, collaborators, fellow filmmakers," says Rohan K. Mehta, writer/director and co-founder of VHS. 'But word spread quickly. Demand far outgrew venue size, so we moved to a form-based RSVP system." The audience today is a mix of regulars and curious newcomers. Most of their screenings happen in and around Andheri, the heart of the film industry in Mumbai. 'Down south, places like G5A and the Film Heritage Foundation also screen rare and exceptional films," Mehta adds. These screenings are either free or priced between ₹100-250.
Then there's started by Apan Singhal, a Delhi-based product designer and software developer. It curates film screenings across Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru, sharing updates via city-specific WhatsApp groups. 'The idea came two years ago when I realised film viewing had become a solitary activity in the post-OTT world," says Singhal. 'Fillum tries to bring back the community aspect." The Mumbai group now has over 200 members. 'Around 50% of all film events in Mumbai are free, and most of the rest are under ₹250," he says.
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More recently, there's Secret Cinema, a club that began just two months ago. Each session hosts about 20-25 people who debate between two classic films, vote, and watch the winner together. Everyone introduces themselves before the screening, with one fun fact and one life tip.
'People need third spaces," says the club's co-founder, who prefers to stay anonymous. 'Places where you show up as you are, do something together, maybe meet someone new. Free screenings matter not just for the films, but for the feeling of belonging. That's the whole point."
These spaces are becoming less gate-kept. I've lived in Mumbai long enough to feel like a local, but not long enough to take these pockets for granted. It's heartening that anyone can walk into a room full of strangers, find a seat, and be part of something cinematic. All it takes is following the right Instagram handle.
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