New Delhi, March 31 A film festival here will showcase documentaries on Indian cultural icons, including singers Shubha Mudgal and Usha Uthup, writer Ruskin Bond, and dancer Anita Ratnam, exploring their lives shaped by their respective creative practices.
"Mastery," produced by StoneX, will feature films by director Mriidu Khosla at Sameksha Art Gallery on April 3-4 here.
The film festival also marks the launch of a multi-city program ahead of the series' release on SonyLiv in mid-year.
"The event is conceived as an immersive experience, bringing together archival imagery, multi-screen film environments, and spatial storytelling. The film festival will feature curated film screenings, immersive installations, and a shared celebration of artistic practice," the organizers said.
The festival will open with a private evening featuring a special panel discussion between Hindustani vocalist Shubha Mudgal and Bharatanatyam dancer Anita Ratnam.
Following the New Delhi preview, the multi-city preview program will travel to Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Ahmedabad.
Conceived as a long-term storytelling initiative, the series shifts focus from recognition to process - capturing the routines, environments, and quiet moments that shape a lifetime of work.
"With Mastery, the intent was to move away from documenting the achievements of the masters and instead spend time with the 'human' behind the art. Each film is built through observation of gestures, silences, routines, and the spaces in which their practice unfolds. Working with these masters was about creating a space where their process could reveal itself," Khosla, founder of Zcyphher Films, said in a statement.
The film series will also feature percussionist V Selvaganesh, artist Krishen Khanna, and filmmaker Rima Das.
"To speak of mastery is to speak of process – of returning to one’s practice again and again, with attention and humility. What I find most meaningful about this initiative is its focus on process: the quieter, often unseen aspects of making that shape both the artist and the work. Offering a rare and thoughtful way of engaging with artistic life, I’m thrilled to share a glimpse of my journey through this project," Mudgal said.
The first season of "Mastery" brought together a mix of contemporary voices from across disciplines, featuring artists such as sitarist Rishab Sharma, actor Lekha Washington, artist Benitha Perciyal, filmmaker Sandeep Narayan, chef Sarah Todd, and artist Vibha Galhotra.