Organising Committee
The team driving PIFFI's production, distribution and strategic execution.
Rakesh Sabharwal
Media & Entertainment Strategist | Film Industry Mentor | Festival Advisor
Rakesh Sabharwal is a distinguished film producer, distributor and exhibition strategist with over four decades of experience across the Indian film industry. Having successfully distributed more than 160 films, he has played a significant role in film distribution, exhibition, production, marketing and theatrical release strategies across India.
He previously served as Advisor and Facilitator for Reliance Big Cinema and continues to collaborate with leading production houses, distributors and multiplex chains. A Life Member of the Indian Motion Picture Producers’ Association (IMPPA), Mr. Sabharwal has also worked as an executive producer and marketing consultant on numerous acclaimed film projects.
Recognised for his deep industry knowledge, he has served as an advisor and jury member at several national and international film festivals, including the San Francisco Global Movie Awards and FIFA Film Festival Sydney. His award-winning productions, including Tamso Ma Jyotir Gamaya, have received recognition at prestigious film festivals in India and abroad.
As a member of PIFFI’s Organising Committee, Mr. Sabharwal brings extensive industry expertise, strategic insight and a strong commitment to promoting meaningful cinema and emerging talent.
Mitali Banerji
Social Leader | Disability Rights Advocate
Mitali Banerji is a social leader and disability rights advocate based in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, with over two decades of work in inclusion, empowerment and community service. She serves as Secretary of Viklang Seva Bharti, is a Delegate Member with the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Government of Madhya Pradesh, and is a member of the Advisory Board of Radha Govind University, Ramgarh. She has earlier served as President of the Rotary Club of Jabalpur and as a State Nodal Agency Partner of the National Trust of India.
Her work has been recognised with the National Award for the Best Local Level Committee of the National Trust and the Dadhichi Puraskar, and she has represented India as a delegate at the Special Olympics World Games in Ireland, Greece and the USA.
At PIFFI, she brings this deep grounding in social service to the festival's vision of cinema as a force for inclusion, ensuring the festival remains accessible, community-rooted and welcoming to all.