Actors Shahid Kapoor, Abhishek Bachchan, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, singer Hariharan, rapper Raja Kumari and writer Manu Joseph, among others, will be taking part in the 15th edition of the multi-disciplinary creative festival IFP later this month.

The festival will return to Mumbai’s Mehboob Studios on November 29 and 30 with its signature blend of creativity and culture across film, music, design, writing, photography, podcasting, gaming, tech, food and digital storytelling, the organisers said in a statement, a PTI report stated.

The film and streaming vertical will host sessions, including ‘20 Questions: How I Made My First Feature’ with filmmakers Aranya Sahay and Shazia Iqbal; ‘Being the Future of Indian Cinema’ with actors Adarsh Gourav, Vishal Jethwa, Nitanshi Goel and Zahan Kapoor; ‘Behind the Scene: I Am Not an Actor’ with Nawazuddin Siddiqui; and ‘Becoming Arjun’, a conversation between ‘I Want To Talk’ team of actor Abhishek Bachchan and filmmaker Shoojit Sircar.

Shahid Kapoor will headline a session reflecting on his craft and cinematic journey. “‘Becoming Arjun’ is a session I am genuinely excited about… IFP has always been a space where creators feel at home,” Bachchan said.

The music line-up will feature established and emerging voices, including sessions such as ‘Making of Kashi to Kailash’ with Raja Kumari; ‘Getting Fusion Right’ with Hariharan and Akshay Hariharan; and ‘Bars from the Heart’ with rapper Dino James.

In the culture strand, creators and thinkers such as Anurag Minus Verma, Ria Chopra, Chirag Thakkar, Anand Gandhi and Zain Memon will discuss how trends and everyday conversations shape contemporary culture.

The literature line-up will feature Manu Joseph, Ravikant Kisana, Uday Prakash, Divya Prakash Dubey, Nilotpal Mrinal, Rakshanda Jalil and Akhil Katyal.

Other categories include performing arts, design, art, photography and food. Celebrity chef Ranveer Brar will present ‘Food of the Future Past’, a session exploring culinary memories and forgotten recipes.

The festival will also host its signature 50 Hour Challenge award ceremonies across filmmaking, music, design, photography and writing, celebrating works completed within a 50-hour deadline.

Over the past 14 years, IFP has hosted more than 1,400 speakers and 1.2 lakh participants, featuring global names such as Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tom Schulman, Alexander Payne, Mira Nair, Asif Kapadia, Ira Glass, Naseeruddin Shah, Javed Akhtar and Vicky Kaushal.

Season 15 will offer “thought-provoking discussions and endearing experiences” for creative enthusiasts across disciplines, the organisers added.

(Images of Abhishek Bachchan, Shahid are courtesy their respective Instagram accounts)