The auditorium at the International Film Festival Delhi erupted into thunderous applause as Boman Irani took a bow—not just as an actor the nation adores, but as a filmmaker in a powerful new chapter of his creative journey.Irani’s directorial debut, The Mehta Boys, which he has also produced and co-written, was screened at the festival to a roaring reception, eliciting a full-fledged standing ovation.At its heart, The Mehta Boys is an intimate, bruised portrait of a father-son relationship scarred by distance and unresolved emotions.Alongside the screening, Irani conducted a masterclass focused on the craft of screenwriting, offering valuable insights into building emotionally resonant stories. Drawing from his own journey—from scriptwriting to acting and now direction—he used personal experiences to illustrate his process, while guiding attendees on how to better understand structure, character, and the power of unpredictability in storytelling.‘They must pay us’Manoj Bajpayee on Friday attended the ongoing International Film Festival of Delhi (IFFD) 2026, where he spoke about the growing impact of AI in filmmaking and the importance of personality rights.During his interaction with the media at the festival, the ‘Family Man’ actor spoke about how any use of an artist’s work or identity should come with proper “payment” and respect for their years of effort. He said, “Agar humari cheez use karenge, toh paise humko denge. Humse judi koi bhi cheez agar aap upyog karenge, toh uska moolya toh aapko dena padega. Kyunki main as an actor 32 saal se kaam kar raha hoon, toh zaahir si baat hai ki aap apni credibility khud banate ho, aur uska agar koi upyog karega, toh ek tarah se rights ke hisaab se paisa dena padega.” (If someone uses our work, they must pay us. If anything related to us is used, they will have to pay for it. I have been working as an actor for 32 years, so you build your own credibility, and if someone uses it, they must pay for it as a right.)‘It’s our job to tell tough story’Director Nikhil Advani attended the ongoing IFFD 2026, where he spoke about storytelling, originality, and the role of filmmakers in today’s time.Speaking to the media on the third day of the festival, Advani spoke about how it is the responsibility of filmmakers to bring fresh ideas. Talking about the need to be “original” and tell “tough story”, he said, “It is our job to tell the public that this is what they should want. It is our job to be original. It is our job to tell the tough story. It is our job to break the formulas.”The week-long festival, running from March 25 to 31, will offer a series of screenings, discussions, and industry events across various venues in New Delhi, uniting filmmakers, industry professionals, and audiences from around the globe.