The 10th Ajanta-Ellora International Film Festival (AIFF 2025), an annual celebration of exceptional films from India and around the world, will be held from January 15 to 19, 2025, in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. This year, the prestigious Padmapani Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to renowned director, screenwriter, producer, and playwright Sai Paranjpye, in recognition of her major contributions to Indian cinema.
The announcement was made today by Nandkishor Kagliwal, Chairman of the AIFF organizing committee; Chief Mentor Ankushrao Kadam; and Honorary Chairman of AIFF, Director Ashutosh Gowariker. The Padmapani Award Selection Committee, which includes renowned film critic Latika Padgaonkar (Chairperson), Director Ashutosh Gowariker, Sunil Sukthankar, and Chandrakant Kulkarni, selected Sai Paranjpye for the prestigious honour. The award includes a Padmapani Memento, a letter of honour, and a monetary prize of two lakh rupees.
Sai Paranjpye will receive the Padmapani Lifetime Achievement Award at the opening ceremony of the 10th Ajanta-Ellora International Film Festival on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, at 6:00 PM at Rukmini Auditorium, MGM University Campus, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. The event will be attended by national and international artists, eminent personalities, and film enthusiasts. The festival will be held at PVR INOX, Prozone Mall, for the following five days.
Sai Paranjpye, a key figure in Indian cinema for over four decades, is known for her impactful Hindi films that explore human relationships. Her notable works include Sparsh (1980), Chashme Buddoor (1981), Katha (1983), Disha (1990), Choodiyan (1993), and Saaz (1997). Besides filmmaking, she has directed plays and contributed significantly to Marathi children's literature. Honoured with the Padma Bhushan in 2006, Paranjpye has also received the Filmfare Award and Maharashtra Foundation Award. She served as the Chairperson of the Children's Film Society of India (CFSI) for two terms.