‘Z’ Sets Stage for Grand Finale of The Zee Short Film Contest with India’s Leading Filmmakers

~ Anurag Kashyap, Ravi Jadhav, Nag Ashwin, Srijit Mukherjee, P. Samuthirakani, Hemanth Rao and Lijo Jose Pellissery continue as Jury Members for the landmark nationwide initiative ~

Mumbai: ‘Z’ India’s leading content and technology powerhouse, is set to host the Grand Finale of the Zee Short Film Contest, marking the culmination of its first-ever nationwide multilingual talent discovery platform for emerging filmmakers.
Launched earlier this year, the Zee Short Film Contest has grown into a nationwide storytelling movement, enabling aspiring creators from across India to showcase original short films shot on smartphones. Open across eight Indian languages, the initiative was designed to democratize access to filmmaking and create inclusive pathways for emerging talent across regions, cultures and storytelling traditions.
As the initiative moves towards its grand finale, the jury panel, comprising some of India’s most acclaimed filmmakers, continues to play a central role in shaping and evaluating the journey of discovery. The distinguished jury includes Anurag Kashyap (Hindi), Ravi Jadhav (Marathi), Nag Ashwin (Telugu), Srijit Mukherjee (Bengali), P. Samuthirakani (Tamil), Hemanth Rao (Kannada), and Lijo Jose Pellissery (Malayalam). As part of the finale programming, the jury will also come together for an exclusive roundtable discussion moderated by acclaimed film journalist Rajeev Masand, exploring evolving storytelling formats, regional narrative ecosystems, creative influences, and the future of Indian cinema.
The contest will culminate in a grand celebration of storytelling excellence at a premium hotel in Mumbai, bringing together emerging filmmakers, industry leaders, and creative stakeholders for a landmark evening dedicated to India’s next generation of cinematic talent. Winners will be announced across eight language categories, with recognition across key segments including Best Film, Best Actor, Best Cinematographer, Best Editor, Best Writer, Best Composer, Best Comedian, along with several special jury awards.
Further strengthening its impact, the top films from each language will be acquired by ‘Z’, streamed on ZEE5, and showcased across the network’s television channels Zee Zest, Zing, Zee TV, Zee Marathi, Zee Bangla, Zee Telugu, Zee Kannada, Zee Tamil, and Zee Keralam, further amplifying the visibility of emerging creators across television and digital platforms. As part of the initiative, one winner from each language category will receive a cash prize of INR 2,00,000 in recognition of their storytelling excellence and cinematic craft.