Shah Rukh Khan classics and more to light up inflatable theatres at 56th IFFI

Shah Rukh Khan’s iconic films “Chak De! India”, “Darr” and “Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge” will take center stage at the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in a first-of-its-kind showcase inside fully equipped inflatable theatres. The National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) and the Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG) have joined hands with mobile digital cinema company PictureTime Digiplex to bring this unique cinematic experience to Goa’s Kala Academy, one of the festival’s main venues. IFFI runs from November 20 to 28.

PictureTime, which has previously deployed inflatable theatres in remote and underserved areas, will install a high-tech mobile cinema at the Academy grounds. The theatre will host screenings across four categories: Inspirational Films, Indian Panorama Classics, Nostalgia, and Children’s Cinema.

Alongside Shah Rukh Khan’s celebrated films, the lineup includes Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s “12th Fail”, the Malayalam hit “Manjummel Boys”, Rajkummar Rao-starrer “Srikanth”, Rani Mukerji’s “Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway”, Sooraj Barjatya’s “Uunchai”, Mira Nair’s “Salaam Bombay!”, “Qissa”, and timeless classics such as “Shatranj Ke Khilari”, “Teesri Manzil”, “Chandni” and “Kala Patthar”.

Special daily screenings for schoolchildren will feature films including “Kaphal: Wild Berries”, “Gattu”, “Banarasi Jasoos”, “The Prince and the Crown of Stone” and “Naal 2”. Beyond the Kala Academy, PictureTime will also host open-air screenings at multiple locations across North and South Goa, ensuring wider access for local audiences.

Sushil Chaudhary, founder and CEO of PictureTime Digiplex, said the partnership with NFDC and ESG highlights the evolution of inflatable theatre technology since the company first participated in IFFI with the ‘Bioscope Village’ in 2017. “Bringing our mobile theatres to a festival of this scale demonstrates how far this technology has come from remote villages to one of the world’s most prestigious film events,” he said.

Chaudhary added that this year’s programming, spanning Shah Rukh Khan classics to contemporary Indian cinema, reflects the diversity of the nation’s film landscape. The Kala Academy inflatable theatre is expected to host over 1,000 visitors daily, including international delegates, film professionals, school groups, and cinephiles, while open-air venues are projected to draw an additional 300-400 viewers each day.