**Executive Summary**
On 18 June 2026, renowned film editor Deepa Bhatia conducted a workshop titled “Surviving the Cut” at the 19th Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF 2026). The session explored the technical and creative complexities of film editing, defining it as a collaborative art that requires a unified vision. Journalists and content creators seeking interviews are encouraged to contact the MIFF media desk via the provided email address.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**The Philosophy and Role of Editing**
* **Defining Cinema:** Cinema is described as a combination of motion picture and montage that must maintain a "human touch."
* **Manipulating Time:** A core responsibility of the editor is to condense long periods into a few minutes of screen-time through effective transitions.
* **Collaborative Art:** While filmmaking involves collective effort, it must result in a "single voice" reflecting a unified creative vision.
**Technical and Creative Execution**
* **Rhythm and Treatment:** Editors must understand both internal and external rhythms of shots to shape the treatment of scenes.
* **The Editing Process:** Key tasks include identifying the best takes, arranging them in the most effective order, and selecting appropriate frames and cuts.
* **Sequence Maturation:** Emphasis was placed on the importance of allowing sequences within a film to mature during the editing process.
**Essential Qualities of an Editor**
* **Discernment and Observation:** Editors require a "discerning power" regarding shots and must observe footage in a meditative, distraction-free manner.
* **Filmmaker Alignment:** Editors should strive to understand the filmmaker’s vision and emotional intensity to achieve the best creative outcomes.
* **Engagement:** Developing a sense of intimacy and attachment to the project is considered vital for success.
**Industry Insights**
* **Documentary Growth:** Audience interest in the documentary genre has increased significantly due to the advent of OTT platforms.
* **Case Studies:** Projects like *Rock On!!* and *Sachin: A Billion Dreams* were used to illustrate how editing maintains narrative essence, ranging from "rawness" to "stillness."
**Impact Analysis**
**Film Students and Professionals**
**Impact**
They receive expert guidance on the necessary psychological and technical approaches to editing, such as the importance of "sincere viewing" and rhythm.
**Action Required**
Participants should apply the principles of discernment and emotional alignment with the filmmaker’s vision in their respective editing projects.
**Journalists, Bloggers, and Vloggers**
**Impact**
The event provides an opportunity for media professionals to connect with filmmakers for interviews and interactive sessions.
**Action Required**
Interested parties must reach out to miff.mediadesk@pib.gov.in with the subject line “Take One with PIB.”
**MIFF Organizers (PIB Team)**
**Impact**
The festival serves as a platform for industry knowledge sharing and increasing public engagement through social media.
**Action Required**
The team is responsible for facilitating media interactions and managing the dissemination of press releases and event photography.
Key Entities Referenced
Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF 2026): The 19th edition of the biennial international film festival that hosted the workshop and serves as a major initiative for promoting documentary and short films.
Deepa Bhatia: Renowned film editor, director, and producer who conducted the masterclass 'Surviving the Cut' and shared technical insights on cinematic editing.
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting: The primary Union Ministry of India responsible for the organization of the film festival and oversight of the media and entertainment sector.
National Film Development Corporation (NFDC): The central agency under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting that functions as the primary body for the promotion and development of Indian cinema.
“Cinema is a Collaborative Art
with a Single Voice”: Deepa
Bhatia at MIFF 2026
Workshop on Film Editing
An editor’s key responsibilities is to
“manipulate the idea of time” by condensing
long periods into a few minutes of screen-
time through effective transitions: Deepa
Bhatia
Mumbai, 18 June 2026
Renowned film editor Deepa Bhatia shared valuable insights into the art and craft of film editing
during a workshop titled “Surviving the Cut”, held on the sidelines of the 19th Mumbai
International Film Festival (MIFF 2026) today. The session witnessed enthusiastic participation
from film students and professionals associated with various aspects of filmmaking.
Speaking about the essence of cinema, Deepa Bhatia, who is also a director and producer, said that
cinema is a combination of motion picture and montage, and that the craft of editing must reflect the
human touch that remains central to the cinematic experience.Elaborating on the qualities required in an editor, she emphasized the importance of discernment and
observation. “Editors should have a discerning power about the shot”, she remarked. An editor must
carefully and calmly watch the entire footage, almost in a meditative manner and free from
distractions, to fully understand the material, she added. Deepa Bhatia described sincere viewing of
the footage as the crucial first step in the editing process.
The master editor stressed that editors should strive to understand the filmmaker’s vision and
emotional intensity, developing a sense of intimacy and attachment with the project on the editing
table. Such engagement, she noted, enables the best creative outcomes. The process involves
identifying the best takes, arranging them in the most effective order, and selecting the most
appropriate frames and cuts.
Describing editing as an art of understanding rhythm, Deepa Bhatia explained that both internal and
external rhythms of shots play a significant role in shaping the treatment of scenes during the editing
process.
Drawing from her extensive professional experience, Deepa Bhatia discussed several of her acclaimed
projects. She has films like Taare Zameen Par, My Name is Khan, Rock On!!, Kai Po Che!, Raees,
Student of the Year and Sachin: A Billion Dreams to her credit. She highlighted the importance of the
maturation of sequences within a film and noted that one of an editor’s key responsibilities is to
“manipulate the idea of time” by condensing long periods into a few minutes of screen-time through
effective transitions.Citing the example of Rock On!!, she explained how the film’s editing maintained a sense of rawness
in its opening sequences before gradually moving towards stillness in the concluding portions.
Speaking about Sachin: A Billion Dreams, she recalled editing the film in London over a year and half.
The documentary, she noted, opens with a montage designed to capture the essence of the legendary
cricketer’s life and career.
Addressing the growing popularity of documentaries, Deepa Bhatia noted that audience interest in the
genre has increased significantly with the advent of OTT platforms.
Summing up her understanding of the medium, Deepa Bhatia described cinema as “a collaborative art
with a single voice,” underscoring the collective effort involved in filmmaking while emphasizing the
importance of a unified creative vision.
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* * *
PIB Team MIFF | Mahesh Kumar/Sriyanka Chatterjee/Darshana Rane
Great films resonate through passionate voices. Share your love
for cinema with #MIFF2026. Tag us @pibmumbai on X, and we'll
help spread your passion! For journalists, bloggers, and vloggers
wanting to connect with filmmakers for interviews/interactions,
reach out to us at miff.mediadesk@pib.gov.in with the subject
line: Take One with PIB.
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