Ultra Media lights up IFFI carnival with a Guru Dutt showcase

GOA: Ultra Media & Entertainment Group turned heads at the IFFI 2025 carnival parade with a flamboyant tableau honouring the cinematic genius of Guru Dutt and India’s enduring love affair with the big screen. As the festival burst into colour on the streets of Goa, Ultra’s float stole the show with a visual mash-up of vintage artistry and modern streaming clout.

The festival opened with governor Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju and chief minister Pramod Sawant watering a Tulsi plant, a symbolic nod to sustainability and cultural continuity. Ultra followed that cue with a sweeping recreation of classics such as Pyaasa, Chaudhvin Ka Chand, Kagaz Ke Phool and Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam, marking 100 years of Guru Dutt with brooding shadows, poetic mise-en-scène and unmistakable romantic melancholy.

Then came the power pivot. Digital screens and bold graphics charted Ultra’s leap from VHS and DVDs to a multi OTT play: Ultra Play for Hindi cinema and originals, Ultra Jhakaas for Marathi content, Ultra Gaane for music and more platforms loading soon. The message was unmistakable: archiving the past is not enough as streaming is the new home for India’s vast film legacy.

Chairman and chief executive Sushilkumar Agrawal said the tribute underlined Ultra’s mission to preserve cinematic memory while embracing new formats. Chief operating officer Rajat Agrawal said India’s diverse audiences want stories rooted in culture and authenticity and Ultra intends to deliver them across languages and screens.

Delegates and cinephiles cheered the nostalgia meets new tech spectacle. For a parade built on spectacle, Ultra’s float delivered a reminder: the future of Indian cinema still draws its power from the light and shadows of its past and this show has only just begun.